


Strangers

by Aurorazilla



Category: Archie Comics, Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Cheryl Blossom Needs a Hug, Cheryl is healing but Toni is there to help her every step of the way, Child Abuse, Comfort/Angst, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Physical Abuse, Smut, Toni is a supportive NOT girlfriend, and a horrible mother, canon suicide attempt, i curse a lot sorry, i don't even know what other tags to add so, jk they're totally gfs, nick st clair gets the FUCKING SHIT beat out of him, penelope blossom is a bitch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-03-31 00:10:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 34,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13963095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aurorazilla/pseuds/Aurorazilla
Summary: Cheryl Blossom doesn't do the whole 'crush' thing. She doesn't like to fawn over others, doesn't like to feel like she's losing control of herself and her emotions. So, when she and Toni start hooking up (to relieve sexual tension of course, not at ALL because she LIKES Toni), she doesn't expect to lose that vital control over her feelings. Doesn't expect the warmth in her chest when she and Toni lay side by side on lazy mornings. And Toni? Well, Toni is just glad to finally break through those icy walls around Cheryl's heart.Or: Cheryl Blossom is a broken person, and Toni Topaz is helping her heal.(OR: I uploaded this onto Tumblr, people liked it, so now it's on here too. Chapter lengths vary, pls bear with me.)





	1. The Christmas Gala

**Author's Note:**

> they..................................... are so in love....................................... and i.............. lov them

Cheryl Blossom is a great many things, but a fool is certainly not one of them. She ranks herself number one on her list of people she finds to be intelligent. She’s done plenty of fucked up things, sure, but she knows for a fact that she’s not an idiot like most of the buffoons at school. (In fact, her list is in the following order: Herself, Kevin Keller, Veronica Lodge.)

So why the hell, during her family’s Christmas Gala, no less, she’s in her bedroom with a Southside Serpent between her legs is beyond her. How the hell she let this happen, she isn’t sure, but she knows this: it’s way too good to stop.

Toni runs her tongue along her folds slowly, like she’s savoring the taste of Cheryl. “I could eat you all day,” she purrs and Cheryl’s already fuzzy mind fucking blanks. Fingers run through her slick, and they’re offered to her lips. “Wanna taste, bombshell?”

This is so bizarre and so far beyond what she would normally do. She’s never even brought a boy home for this, but here’s Toni Topaz with her stupid pink hair and stupid leather jacket eating Cheryl out like she was born to do it.

She takes Toni’s fingers in her mouth, because part of her wants the other girl to think of her in a way beyond spoiled rich kid. Toni’s eyes darken impossibly when Cheryl’s tongue runs along her fingertips, and a soft sigh slips from her lips when Cheryl lets them pop out of her mouth.

“Just keep fucking me, Cha-Cha.” Cheryl snaps, voice breathy and hoarse and oh  _God_ is that  _really_ how she sounds right now?

Toni chuckles lowly, breath ghosting over Cheryl’s aching core. “That’s no way to talk to the girl who’s about to give you a mind-blowing orgasm.”

Cheryl rolls her eyes, a whine slipping from her lips instead of another quip because suddenly Toni’s sucking on her clit and  _oh God_  it’s too much.

She tangles her fingers in (stupid) pink hair and gasps when two fingers prod at her entrance. The low, guttural moan that escapes her is almost embarrassing, but, God, it feels so fucking good and stopping just isn’t an option.

Toni’s free hand grips her hips, pressing her into the mattress so that she can’t meet Toni’s thrusts.

How did she even let this happen?

Cheryl is always so in control. She was supposed to be in control tonight, but then Jughead Jones and the Scooby Gang crashed her party and- well- she isn’t sure why Great Aunt Marie Blossom’s questioning lead to her and Toni drinking a bottle of champagne in her room. But suddenly, she wasn’t in control, and Toni’s tongue was in her mouth.

Losing control is… terrifying for her.

It’s just… not natural.

But, fuck, if this is what Toni does when she’s in control, Cheryl thinks she can give it up for a short while.

“F-faster…” She whispers, pulling Toni closer with her grip on her hair.

Toni hums, and Cheryl’s body twitches.

Cheryl knows she’s close. Hell, she’s been close for forever, now, but the bitch keeps fucking teasing.

“The party- gotta h-hurr-  _fuck_. Oh,  _fuck_.” Cheryl’s noises are getting dangerously loud, and she has to bring one hand up to her mouth to bite into it.

Toni apparently sees this as a challenge, and her fingers curl against a spot that makes Cheryl’s back arch and a sharp cry escapes the redhead.

She cums hard, profanities leaving her red lips until her throat is hoarse and Toni is kissing back up Cheryl’s body.

Cheryl flips them over easily, sucking hard at Toni’s skin and stroking her folds with her fingers. Toni gasps, much wetter than Cheryl initially expected. She tries to leave as many goddamn marks as possible because Toni got them into this mess so it’s her fault Cheryl isn’t mingling with the guests downstairs.

God-

The guests downstairs.

Half of fucking Riverdale as well as her parents’ last remaining business partners are down there. Her  _relatives_ are down there. She should be smiling, greeting them, being a good host.

Betty-fucking- _Cooper_ is here with the  _Scooby Gang_  and, oh, they’ll  _all_ be snooping around - that, she has no doubt about.

But she’s here, vulnerable, her fingers knuckle-deep in a  _Southside Serpent_. Her teeth grazing an extended neck, soft moans in her ear and short nails digging blunt scratches into her back.

And-

_God-_

She fucking loves hearing those damned noises.

Loves the slick velvety warmth of walls fluttering around her fingers as they prod at Toni’s spot. Loves the gasp of her own name that spills from plump, kiss-swollen lips. Loves the way this infuriating girl this-

This-

 _Gangster_ who  _dared_ to crash her party.

This-

 _Imbecile_ who flirts and teases and makes Cheryl all but lose the vital control she’s been fighting to maintain her entire life.

God.

She wants this girl to remember her. Remember who’s making her moan and cry and gasp and arch. Wants this girl to fall apart at her fingertips, bring her to her damned knees.

So she curls her fingers, bites hard into Toni’s neck, and inhales at the sharp cry that sends Toni off the edge. She’s trembling, her hips twitching into her hand, and suddenly she’s on top of Cheryl again and-

And is she  _serious_?

Now she’s buried in Cheryl again and-

And fuck-

 _Fuck_ , Cheryl’s losing control of this situation  _far_ too quickly.

But Toni is kissing her, moaning into her mouth as she rides Cheryl’s fingers that are still inside of her. And, fuck, Cheryl almost cums at the sensation and sight alone.

She doesn’t want to think about how perfect it feels to fall apart together. Doesn’t want to think about the stupid glowing look on the girl as she rolls to her side. The look of bliss, of lazy happiness.

She looks so fucking beautiful and it’s  _that_ more than anything that makes her pant out, “I still fucking hate you.”

And Toni laughs. Softly, like she expected Cheryl to say such a thing. “Of course you do.”

_Of course she does._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and kudos are appreciated!!!!!!!!  
> follow me on tumblr for more stuff:  
> pinkbunny-imagines :)


	2. Feelings? What feelings?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cheryl isn't very good at keeping her emotions in check. Jughead thinks Toni's losing it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> want y'all to know i work in two coffee shops and rn i'm sweating so much i smell like coffee i wonder if i drink my sweat it'll taste like coffee or give me a caffeine rush idk is that weird to think abt

Cheryl doesn’t form crushes. It’s just not her style. Josie was an exception because, well, she’s  _Josie_ \- but Cheryl never wasted her time or energy in having crushes.  _She_ was to be the object of someone’s affections,  _not_ the other way around. **  
**

So, it’s not like she  _likes_ that Topaz bitch or anything.

She just… needs a stress reliever. It was a tough week, after all. Family visits, fake smiles plastered onto her cheeks, the occasional ‘client’ of her mother’s…

So that’s why Toni is pinning her to the wall of her gross trailer. Cheryl wants to comment on the sheer  _dirtiness_ , but Toni doesn’t even give her a chance. She’s pushing her fingers in and out of Cheryl rapidly, palm pressing into Cheryl’s clit.

And Cheryl is fucking  _screaming_.

_God, it feels so fucking good._

Her leg hooks around Toni’s waist, giving more access to herself, and moans into Toni’s shoulder.

Toni always smells so sharp. Almost masculine. Cheryl wonders if she uses the men’s soap or something. Irish Spring, maybe. She doesn’t have much time to dwell on this when Toni’s hissing something low in her ear.

“I- what?” Cheryl sighs, her mind fogged and hazy.

“I said,” Toni thrusts a little harder into her than before, making Cheryl’s toes curl. “Do you like being fucked by a Serpent? Is that a thing for you, Blossom? You get off on knowing it’s Southside Scum making you scream like this?”

“Fuck you.” Cheryl spits, because she doesn’t know what else to say.

“Oh no, bombshell,” Toni hisses, biting so hard into Cheryl’s shoulder that Cheryl actually  _whimpers_ and bucks into her hand. “You’re not in charge here.”

(She doesn’t form crushes. She just thinks the Topaz bitch is hot, that’s all, and they’ve been unintentionally building this thick tension for weeks. Once they fuck enough times, she’s sure that weird tingly feeling in her stomach will go away every time Toni walks into the room.)

Toni’s fingers find her  _spot_ and they rub right into it, and Cheryl’s nails dig into Toni’s back, the damned  _leather_ making it impossible to get a good grip. She’s making so much noise, it’s almost embarrassing. She’s never been one of  _those_ girls, but apparently Toni is bringing a lot out in her.

“I can’t tell you how many times,” Toni breathes and Cheryl is shuddering, “that I’ve imagined fucking you, you know that?” She presses and presses and Cheryl can’t even form a coherent thought let alone  _response_. “Cheryl Blossom - HBIC, spoiled rich bitch - spread and fucked by a Southside Serpent.”

“I- I’m-  _fuck_ -” Cheryl’s breathing hard and fast, body tensing.

Toni’s pace slows dramatically, and the desperate noise that escapes Cheryl is so fucking humiliating.

“Say my name,” Toni growls. Her palm no longer presses against Cheryl’s clit, and her fingers are pulling in and out slowly. So  _painfully_ slowly.

Cheryl’s mind is so damned fogged, she can’t even focus. But she connects the Serpent’s words, and huffs. “Come  _on_ , Cha Cha, what the  _hell_?”

Toni’s fingers stop entirely. Cheryl makes a pitiful noise, and Toni pulls back to meet her gaze.

“Say my  _name_.” She repeats, voice low.

Cheryl’s walls pulse around her fingers.

“For  _fuckssake_ \- Toni.” Cheryl groans dramatically. “ _There_ , are you happy n- _oh fuck_ , Toni-”

Toni picks right back up where she left off, fingers pressing into Cheryl’s g-spot again, mouth sucking at her neck, and-

And-

_It’s too much._

Cheryl fucking  _screams_ her name, her voice cracking and her body convulsing against Toni’s fingers. Toni doesn’t stop, just presses and presses and flattens her palm against Cheryl’s clit and it’s so much and Cheryl can’t breathe.

“I-  _fuck_ \- can’t- fuck-” Cheryl says between sharp gasps.

Toni slows, letting Cheryl ride out her little aftershocks. Cheryl’s gasping for air, face flushed pink and chest rising and falling unevenly.

(Toni thinks she looks beautiful.)

Cheryl can’t feel her legs when she sets her one foot back on the ground. She leans heavily into the wall, Toni holding her steady by her waist while she brings her fingers to her mouth. She licks them loudly, obnoxiously. It makes Cheryl’s nose wrinkle.  _God_ , she  _hates_ her.

She’s not going to keep losing control to  _Toni_ fucking  _Topaz._

“Bed.” huffs. “Now.”

Toni’s grin is shit-eating and infuriating in every fucking way and Cheryl can’t wait to wipe it off her. So, she fixes her skirt and lets the girl lead her through the trailer and into what is, presumably, Toni’s bedroom.

She pushes Toni onto the bed and straddles her. Toni’s hands reach out to touch her, but there’s something dark and possessive that churns in Cheryl’s stomach so she grabs Toni’s wrists and pins them above her head. Toni’s breath hitches. Cheryl leans down to kiss her neck, one of her hands keeping the pink-haired girl’s in place and the other slipping under her shirt. Fucking abs. Of goddamn  _course_ she has abs.

Cheryl  _bites_ and she feels Toni’s hips twitch.  _Good_. Fucking…  _bitch_. Deserves to suffer for a bit…

Cheryl trails her nails along Toni’s stomach as she adjusts her position so that her knee is pressing right between Toni’s legs. The responding gasp brings a smirk to Chery’s lips. God, she wants Toni to fucking  _writhe_.

She  _hates_ her so much.

So goddamn  _much_.

She rolls her hips, her knee pressing more firmly into Toni. Her arms twitch, but Cheryl keeps them pinned. The redhead sets a slow rhythm, grinding her knee into Toni until the shorter girl is moaning and whimpering, her hips moving hard against her.

Cheryl’s free hand finds the button of Toni’s jeans, and swiftly unbuttons them. Toni’s arms move again and Cheryl bites down hard on her neck. Toni groans.

“No touching, or I stop.” Cheryl purrs, and Toni fucking whines and, God, Cheryl loves this. Loves how much control she has over the pink haired girl.

She releases Toni’s hands so she can pull down her jeans, tossing them aside as well as Toni’s underwear. She presses eager kisses to the soft skin of Toni’s inner thighs, sucking hard to leave marks for days.

Because, fucking Christ, she won’t let Toni forget her for a single fucking second.

“Come  _on_ ,” Toni groans impatiently. “Touch me already.”

Cheryl smirks, biting down hard enough to make Toni grunt. “Beg.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

Toni huffs a sigh, and Cheryl kisses right above her clit, breathing right against Toni’s soaked center. The shorter girl squirms, hands gripping the sheets tightly.  “Please,” she breathes.

“What was that?” Cheryl teases, meeting Toni’s heated gaze.

“Please fuck me, Cheryl. Please.” Toni whimpers and Cheryl grins before running her tongue along Toni’s slit.

Toni gasps, and Cheryl grabs her hips and holds them to the bed when Toni tries to gain more friction. Cheryl flattens her tongue over Toni’s clit before dragging it back down to her entrance.

She’s sweet on her tongue, and Cheryl can’t get enough of the needy sounds coming from Toni’s lips. So she does everything she can to draw out more. Finds Toni’s most sensitive spots and focuses on them one by one until Toni’s thighs are shaking on either side of her head. Toni’s back is arched so high, and Cheryl feels a possessive kind of satisfaction at the increase in Toni’s volume.

She’s close, Cheryl can feel it in the pulse of her clit.

Cheryl moves her hand down, pressing her fingers into Toni and curling them  _just-so_ , and Toni’s walls immediately pulsate around her.

“I’m- oh- oh  _fuck_ -” Toni sputters, twisting slightly. Her hands are shaking, balled into tight fists over the sheets, and when Cheryl sucks on her clit, they fly to her hair. They claw into her scalp, tangling in long, red locks.

But Cheryl doesn’t mind.

Because Toni lost control, and Cheryl has the upperhand again and that’s all this is about.

Control.

Toni comes undone with a sharp cry, body arching off the bed and incoherent curses spilling from her mouth.

Cheryl hums, flicking her tongue against Toni’s clit and still sucking at it. Her fingers massage Toni’s fluttering walls until she comes again, and then Cheryl slowly licks her clean and sucks another hickey over her hipbone.

She crawls up the small bed and collapses onto her back with a huff.

Toni is slowly catching her breath, sweat building on her forehead.

“Fuck,” she pants.

Cheryl snorts.

There’s a knock at the door.

Cheryl stiffens.

“Stay here,” Toni stands and quickly pulls her pants back on, fixing herself as much as she can as she hurries to the door. She swings it open, and Cheryl waits in stunned silence for her return.

“No, you can’t come in.” Toni’s voice is distant, but audible. A pause. “ _Because_ this is  _my_ home, ass.” Cheryl moves to stand in the doorway of the bedroom, intent on just leaving or simply fucking Toni again. “ _No_ , oh my God- wait, no-  _Jughead_ -”

And then Jughead fucking  _Jones_ storms past Toni, and happens to look down the short hallway. He stares at Cheryl. Cheryl stares at him. It’s a weird, tense silence. Toni looks annoyed, and Jughead’s expression shifts from furious to confused to furious again. He whirls around to look at Toni.

“ _Seriously_?” He says disbelievingly.

“King Hobo,” Cheryl drawls, smirking at his twitch of annoyance. “How lovely to see you again. How’s daddy?”

He cringes. “Look, I’m not here to-”

“Whatever,” Cheryl shrugs, walking past him and locking eyes with Toni. “I was just leaving, anyway.”

“You don’t have t-” Toni begins, but Cheryl presses a kiss to her lips.

“Try not to miss me too much.” The redhead flips her hair over her shoulder and slips out of the trailer.

Control.

She always has control.

* * *

Jughead stares, dumbfounded, at the door like he’s half-expecting Cheryl to run back in and eat Toni out right in front of him. After a long awkward pause, he shakes his head with a sigh.

“You’re insane. You know that?”

Toni laughs. “Yeah. I do.”

“ _Cheryl Blossom_. You’re dating Cheryl Blossom.”

“What?” Toni flinches. “No! No, we aren’t-  _dating_.”

“She had a  _hickey_ on her  _neck_ , Toni. That seems like-” he stops. “Oh my  _God_ you’re sleeping with her.”

Toni rolls her eyes and crosses her arms. “Is that a  _problem_?”

“No!” He shakes his head, then takes a breath. “No. It’s just- she’s…  _psychotic_. She’s got more emotional baggage than  _me_ and  _that_ says something.”

Toni snorts. “Right. Well. I’m a big girl. I can handle her.”

He exhales slowly. “If you say so…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm uploading all of my chapters so far in one day soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo aaaaaaa this is frustrating and my foot is asleep


	3. The English Project

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cheryl's home life is shit; Penelope Blossom sucks; Toni is a caring person; Cheryl just needs a fuckin HUG, man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chill out, whatcha yellin' for? lay back, it's all been done before. and if, you could only lET IT BE, yOU WoUld SEEEEEE--- I like, you the way you are; when we're, drivin' in your car; and you're, talkin' to meee oNE ON ONE, BUT YOU'VE BECOOOOME somebody else-

Her mother’s slap stings. Cheryl cups her cheek, dumbfounded, as her mother slowly composes herself. **  
**

“Do _not_ embarrass me like this again, Cheryl.” Penelope warns, eyeing the dark bruise on Cheryl’s neck critically.

Cheryl scoffs. “You’re an  _escort_ and  _I’m_  the embarrassing one?”

The second slap is a little more predictable, but Cheryl still recoils in shock. Another insult is at the tip of her tongue, but her mother’s stony gaze stops it before it can be uttered.

“You will  _not_ prance around with- with  _Reginald Mantle_  like some  _harlot_!”

The laugh that slips Cheryl’s lips makes her mother’s face twist into an angrier expression. “This is  _not_ from that  _oaf_ you  _psychopathic_ hypocrite.”

“What did you just say?” She grabs Cheryl’s wrist and Cheryl yanks against her grip.

“You’re  _hurting me_!” She snaps and Penelope’s grip only tightens.

She backhands Cheryl with her left hand, her damned wedding ring tearing into Cheryl’s lip. Cheryl yelps, jerking her wrist out of her mother’s grasp to take several steps away.

“Go to your room, Cheryl. Right. Now.” Penelope snarls, and something inside of Cheryl is snarling right back. But Cheryl pushes it down, and scurries away because there’s a lump in her throat and tears in her eyes.

Control.

She wishes she had control all of the time.

* * *

Maybe she’s just biding time.

She thinks about life like that a lot.

Birth, time, and death. She remembers having ambitions, hopes and dreams but sometimes they seem so far out of reach that her fingertips barely brush against their surface. She buried her heart months ago, but it’s times like this that it still aches.

She thinks she’s rotting from the inside out.

She still tastes rushing water in the back of her mouth, lingering like a ghost of what could have been - what  _should_ have been. She’s alone, now, and that’s a fact. Even if Veronica pretends to still care about her, even if Betty pretends to give even one single shit, even if Archie smiles at her like he  _cares_ …

The water calls to her, she thinks. It’s a soft siren’s song, beckoning her to return and join Jason once more.

(She wishes she knew why she still sticks around. Maybe she just likes to suffer.)

* * *

“Christ, Red, what happened to your lip?” Is the first thing Toni says to her when they run into each other at Pop’s the next day.

Cheryl was just grabbing a small salad for lunch/dinner later when Toni ran into her, and here they are.

Cheryl avoids her curious gaze for a moment, something in her stirring at the way Toni is looking at her with something like… like… (For a fleeting moment, Cheryl swears she’s actually concerned.)

“It’s nothing.” Cheryl says after a pause.

(Toni is shocked by the sudden anger and sadness that swell inside of her at the sight of Cheryl all bruised up.)

Cheryl starts to move past her, but Toni catches her wrist.

“Hold on,” she says and Cheryl pulls her hand away with a flinch. Toni now notices the bruises that stain her wrist. “Wait, Cheryl-”

“Don’t.” The redhead turns away and storms out of the diner.

Toni watches her go. She doesn’t quite know how to feel about the emptiness settling in her chest.

* * *

By the time they’re back in school, Cheryl is back to her normal self - somewhat.

The others have all agreed that she is, in fact, different but they chalk it up to something that happened before winter break that they, apparently, refuse to talk about in front of Toni, Sweet Pea, and Fangs.

It’s annoying how oblivious they seem about the redhead, despite calling themselves familiar and even friendly towards her.

(Toni may be new to this school, but she knows for a  _fact_ that this ‘confident HBIC’ crap is just a front. She can see it in the almost haunted expression on Cheryl’s face as she walks the halls of Riverdale High. In the way Cheryl skips lunch frequently, or at least eats elsewhere from the cafeteria. She isn’t blind like they are. In fact, she’s finding herself more in tune with Cheryl and what she’s doing that she hardly notices the worried way Jughead watches her.)

* * *

Cheryl’s ears are ringing when her teacher assigns her and Toni as partners to the English project. They’re supposed to be reading romanticized poems, so, like, this is kind of awkward.

And then the thought of having  _Toni_ in  _her_ house,  _alone_ , well-

Cheryl isn’t sure how well they’ll be able to study.

Or if they  _should_ study in  _her_ house. The danger of her mother coming home or one of her  _visitors_ is so fucking embarrassing that she’s immediately anxious. Let alone having her mother come home to a  _Serpent_ in Cheryl’s  _room_.

“Fate throws us together again, Bombshell.” Toni hums when she flops into the desk next to Cheryl’s.

Cheryl hates not having control. She can already feel it slipping through her fingertips when Toni bites her lip because Cheryl isn’t saying anything and she can feel people eyeing her weirdly because she  _should_ say something bitchy but she actually  _can’t_ and her tongue feels like lead in her mouth.

“Guess now’s as good a time as any to get your number,” Toni takes out her phone and Cheryl snaps out of the strange trance she’d been in.

“Whatever, Cha-Cha. Just don’t make a habit of texting me.” She quips and Toni smirks.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, sweetheart.”

* * *

“Nice place,” Toni drawls, eyeing a portrait of the Blossoms in the main entrance and taking note of the redheaded boy standing beside Cheryl. She assumes that’s the dead brother, and for a second she wonders if his death still haunts Cheryl.

Cheryl hums. “I burned down Thornhill, but I suppose Thistlehouse is lovely in its own quaint way.”

Toni stares at her, like she can’t believe Cheryl said that so nonchalantly.

Cheryl shrugs. “I’m sure you’ve heard about what happened by now.”

Toni frowns. “Cheryl-”

“We can study in my room.” Cheryl flicks her hair over her shoulder, then pauses. “If… if my mother comes home, don’t wear your jacket.”

Toni nods, biting her lip. “Okay.”

Cheryl takes Toni on the grand tour of Thistlehouse before finally settling into her bedroom. She shuts the door behind them, and Toni flops onto the giant bed with a sigh.

“ _Damn_ ,” she hums. “I could sleep for  _days_ on this.”

Cheryl watches Toni for a silent moment. There’s this warm tingling that’s settled in her stomach and chest that seems to have wedged itself into her focus. Toni looks  _good_ in that ridiculous leather jacket and those  _stupid_ ripped jeans. Her mother would probably kill her if she saw Toni in her room.

Cheryl has no control in this house when her mother is home. Nana Rose is, thankfully, obliviously asleep in her own room.

So, Cheryl says the only thing on her mind because Toni is in her bed, they’re alone, and she has an itch that she absolutely  _can’t_ scratch:

“I can think of other things to do on that bed for days.”

Toni bites her lip, hiding a laugh. “That was  _so_ corny.”

Cheryl shrugs, picking up her library book of the Romantic Era before sitting down next to Toni. The pink-haired girl watches her closely, like she’s taking in every detail and Cheryl isn’t sure why she feels so  _exposed_ in front of Toni.

“What the hell are you staring at?” Cheryl snaps.

Toni grins. “You can’t say something like  _that_ and just open that stupid book like we’re  _actually_ gonna get any work done.”

Cheryl narrows her eyes. “I thought you said that was corny.”

“It  _was_ ,” Toni leans in close, lowering her voice. “How _ever_ , I completely agree, and would really enjoy fucking you senseless right now.”

 

Cheryl’s pale complexion betrays her when a red flush settles over her cheeks. She all but throws her book aside when she connects her lips with Toni’s, who eagerly kisses back with a soft sigh.

Dammit. Why does Cheryl keep losing herself like this?

Toni’s hands tangle in her hair and  _tug_ and- fuck- how the  _hell_ will they ever get this damned project done?? And Then Toni is in her lap, and, God, Cheryl didn’t realize how much she needed to be  _touched_ by someone. She’s  _starving_ for affection, and Toni Topaz is all too willing to give it.

So she takes it. Takes every gasp against her lips, takes every scrape of blunt nails against her skin as Toni takes off her clothes. Every grind of Toni’s hips as their kisses become more and more heated.

And then Toni pauses, looking down at her.

“What?” Cheryl asks breathily.

“You’re just really beautiful,” and Toni says it so  _casually_ that Cheryl feels her heart stammer in her chest.

“I… I know.” She mutters. “Just- hurry up and fuck me.”

Toni snorts, but kisses Cheryl’s neck gently. Cheryl inhales sharply when Toni nibbles at her skin.

“D-don’t leave any hickeys where my mother can see.” She says shakily and Toni pauses before leaning up a bit, her elbow between Cheryl’s body and arm propping her up.

“Is that why you had those bruises a few weeks ago?” The Serpent asks and Cheryl looks away, her throat suddenly feeling tight. “Hey,” Toni’s voice softens. “I’m not… I don’t think any less of you.” She frowns. “I mean… I get it. Your mom doesn’t want her precious heiress fraternizing with… y’know,  _Southside scum_.”

Toni repeating that stupid phrase makes Cheryl flinch, looking up at her again with a worried expression. “It’s  _not_ that and you aren’t-” she stops. “I mean… it’s not because it’s  _you_.” She sighs, and then says so quietly Toni has to strain to hear her, “it’s because I’m  _me_.”

“What? But you’re, like,  _perfect_.”

Cheryl scoffs. That word has haunted her since she was a little girl. “Hardly.”

“You are to me.”

It feels like a heavy confession, and Cheryl doesn’t want to admit it but her eyes are starting to sweat. Yes, they’re  _sweating_ because Cheryl Blossom does  _not_ , and  _will_ not, cry in front of  _anyone_. Not even the girl who’s literally on top of her naked body, looking down at her with such soft tenderness that Cheryl feels something like  _butterflies_ stirring in her stomach.

So she doesn’t say anything. Just kisses Toni, because that’s all she knows how to do without losing control of herself, and Toni kisses her back gently and affectionately.

When Toni moves down her body slowly, she takes her time to press a gentle kiss everywhere she can. It’s so goddamn  _sweet_ that Cheryl feels- feels-

God, she feels  _loved_ and it’s something she’s wanted -  _needed_ \- since she lost Jason.

If Toni notices the tears on her cheeks, she doesn’t comment on them. Just presses soft kisses to the insides of Cheryl’s thighs, only now noticing the faded scars marring their surface.

“You’re so beautiful,” she whispers above the spot Cheryl needs her most, and Cheryl’s hands clutch her sheets tightly to keep them from doing something stupid like pulling Toni up to kiss her senseless.

When Toni finally puts her mouth on her, Cheryl sighs heavily. It’s different from how they’ve had sex before. There’s no hungry neediness to dominate the other, to have the other moan louder, to bite and mark and fuck out their frustrations. This is slow, a crescendo of emotions, building up Cheryl’s orgasm with attentive caresses and movements.

She presses into Cheryl so damn  _gently_ but in all the  _right places_  that when Cheryl looks down, and Toni locks their gazes, she lets herself reach out and grab Toni’s hand.

Fuck.

 _God_.

Cheryl’s body shudders. She’s close.

Toni removes her mouth, pulling Cheryl’s hand up with her as she reconnects their lips. It’s slow and passionate and Cheryl’s legs wrap around Toni’s waist, pulling her fingers and body closer. Their hands are still firmly entwined, pressing against the mattress so that Toni can roll her hips against her hand and press further into Cheryl.

She hears her rapid heartbeat in her ears, feels it in her skin that feels so tight, and feels her walls clenching and clenching around Toni’s fingers.

Her entire body shakes as her orgasm ripples through her, and Toni swallows her moan as Cheryl’s eyes roll back. She presses in and out slowly as Cheryl stops shuddering and arching into her. When she pulls her fingers out slowly, Cheryl’s body still quaking with aftershocks. Toni kisses Cheryl’s wet cheeks gently.

And then they hear the front door open.

“Cheryl, I’m home. Come downstairs, I’d like to have a word.”

Cheryl freezes. “You have to go,” she whispers. “Please.”

The fear in her voice is enough to make Toni scramble to put her clothes back on. Cheryl does the same, pulling on a robe after her bra and underwear, opting to say she was going to shower before her mother came home.

“Will you be okay?” Toni’s voice makes Cheryl pause at her door.

The pink-haired girl hesitates by her now open window, ready to make her escape via tree branch and years of getaway experience. (She’s already texted Sweet Pea to pick her up outside the Blossoms’ long driveway, no questions asked until they’re at Whyte Wyrm.)

Cheryl bites her bottom lip. “I… yeah. Don’t worry about me, Cha-Cha.”

Toni smiles a bit at the nickname, but nods and slips out quietly while Cheryl exits her bedroom.

“What’s taking so long?” Penelope huffs when Cheryl descends to the living room.

“I was going to shower,” Cheryl lies smoothly. “What’s the matter?”

“Your makeup is smeared,” Penelope crosses her arms, her eyes narrowed. “No matter. We are having dinner with the Lodges to discuss selling the Manor.”

Cheryl’s stomach drops. “I… what?” The Blossom home that has been in her family for  _generations_ , that holds the bodies of her ancestors - of her fucking  _brother_ \- sold like some cheap suburban townhouse?

No.

Hell. Fucking.  _No_.

“You can’t be fucking serious.” Cheryl growls, suddenly  _enraged_ at her mother.

“ _You_ burned it down, you foolish girl,” her mother spits, her face contorting into one of anger. “You honestly thought we could keep the authorities  _quiet_ on the matter? We’re  _lucky_ that Hiram Lodge wants to purchase it with enough hush money to keep you out of police custody.”

“It’s our  _home_ ,” Cheryl snaps. “My  _grandfather_ is buried there,  _Jason_ is buried there, the pitiful man you fucking  _married_ is buried there-”

Her mother grabs her wrist and yanks her forward, getting so close to Cheryl’s face that Cheryl has to look away from her eyes.

“Watch your tongue, Cheryl,” she warns. “Or I will do something we will  _both_ regret.”

Cheryl clamps her lips shut, tears building in her eyes.

Her mother releases her with a push. Cheryl stumbles, but catches herself on the wall beside the staircase.

“The Lodges will arrive this Thursday at seven.  _Don’t_ make a bigger fool of yourself than you already have.” She turns to the kitchen, a clear dismissal that Cheryl takes to hurry upstairs to her room.

She curls into herself on her mattress, Toni’s scent still clinging to the sheets like Cheryl was not so long ago. She lets her tears fall, suddenly aching for the presence of the Serpent girl. Of her embrace. Of the odd sense of  _safety_ that’s beginning to accompany the girl’s presence. Just aching for  _Toni_.

She opens her eyes, wishing she’d find Toni laying beside her. Her eyes settle on an article of black clothing tossed to the floor carelessly. Cheryl scoots to the opposite end of her bed to reach out and grab it, realizing with a shock that it’s Toni’s Serpent jacket.

She pulls it close to her body slowly, holding it to her nose to inhale deeply. There it is. That almost familiar feeling in her chest. Warmth. Safety.

She slips her robe off and pulls the jacket on. It’s warm, too. It’s not quite like being held by Toni, but it’s  _enough_ , and Cheryl curls back into a ball, crying into her pillow until she succumbs to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope i put that song in ur head it's been in mine all day


	4. Tenderly,

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweet Pea thinks Toni is gonna get her heart broken. Penelope sucks. Cheryl gets lonely and there's only one person to call. Toni may or may not be in love with Cheryl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again, i'm literally copy/pasting from my tumblr so the format and shit is probably weird and pls excuse all spelling errors and stuff i am a tired person

“So… “ Sweet Pea drawls, the ride to the bar having been silent for over half the journey. “We gonna talk about how you were at Cheryl Blossom’s house?” **  
**

Toni sighs. Figures he’d bring this up since she’s trapped in his stupid truck rather than on his damned bike. “I was hoping we wouldn’t.”

“Well,” he glances at her with a smirk. “You’ve been in that sweet ‘ _I’m getting laid’_  mood for a few weeks, now, and you  _still_ haven’t told me who’s sucking on your neck. So process of illumination…”

“ _Elimination_ ,” Toni corrects with an eye roll. “And besides, does it even  _matter_?”

“I mean, I’m not judgin’,” he shrugs. “How _ever_ , I think you’re gonna get your heart broken by that girl.”

Toni scoffs. “Thanks for the concern.” She pauses. “But, like, it’s not needed.”

“She’s got issues,” Sweets continues.

“Don’t we all?”

“Her  _dad_ murdered her  _brother_.”

“Yeah. And  _our own people_  helped.”

“Even more of a reason to stay away from her.”

Toni crosses her arms with a huff. “Look, I didn’t call you to lecture me.”

“I know.” Sweets frowns. “But you’re my best friend, Toni. I don’t want you to get hurt over some Northside bitch who doesn’t care about anyone but herself.”

“You’re wrong about her.” Toni snaps a little harsher than she means to. Sweet Pea sends her a surprised look. “She’s… she’s hurting, Sweets. She’s not what she looks like. At  _all_.”

He makes a noise somewhere between a scoff and a sigh. “Whatever. It’s your life, Topaz.” They pull up in front of Whyte Wyrm. “But, like, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Whatever.” Toni hops out and reaches up to pull her jacket tighter around her body, only to realize she doesn’t have it. She turns back to Sweet Pea’s truck, the door still open, and looks around. “Did I leave my jacket in here?”

“You didn’t even have it on when you hopped in.”

Oh.

She must have left it at Cheryl’s.

She wonders if that means the redhead will return to school tomorrow with a fresh bruise.

(She’ll never forgive herself if she does.)

* * *

Cheryl is wearing the jacket the next day. She has it resting on her shoulders, feeling a little reckless and like her reputation is meaningless today. Or maybe she wants to piss off her mother, should she ever find out. It’s a small act of rebellion, but it makes her hold her head a bit higher when students stare at her with wide eyes.

(And-  _okay_ , maybe she kind of likes wearing Toni’s jacket.)

(She’ll  _never_ tell a single soul.)

Veronica’s eyes nearly pop out of her freaking  _head_ and she hurries to walk next to Cheryl.

“Um. Interesting fashion choice. What the fuck.”

“Relax, Morticia Addams. I’m returning it to Topaz and it was a little chilly this morning.” Cheryl lies, smirking.

“She- left it at your house?”

“Don’t worry about me, Veronica,” Cheryl’s smirk stretches into a grin. “In fact, you lost every right to do so when  _your_ father offered to buy  _my_ childhood home.”

“I-  _what_?”  Veronica steps in front of her, stopping Cheryl in her tracks.

“Oh? Didn’t you hear? Daddy dearest wants to take the last piece of Jason from me and my family. Do you realize how long that home has been in the Blossom family? Since we  _moved_ to Riverdale. Since we  _built_ this town from the ground up. And your fucking  _father_ is taking it from us, and you didn’t even  _tell_ me. And here I was, thinking we were -  _shit,_ I don’t know,  _friends_ at the very least.”

Veronica flinches. “I-I didn’t even-”

“Don’t you own part of your father’s company? I’m lead to believe that means you had to sign some fancy documents about buying the land - or, at least, be warned about having to do so. Am I right, or am I right?”

Veronica’s eyes avert from Cheryl’s, and the redhead laughs bitterly. The halls have quieted around them, some students pausing to watch the scene unfold.

“That’s what I thought.” Cheryl looks through the sea of faces, focusing on one in particular with a hum. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have better things to do than talk to backstabbing bitches.”

“Cheryl-”

But Cheryl’s already making her way to Toni, who looks at her with surprise as she approaches. Her eyebrows raise, and her lips pull into a smirk when she looks at the jacket the redhead is wearing.

“Leather looks good on you, Blossom.” She says cheekily.

“It looks even better with nothing underneath,” Cheryl purrs, winking. Her boldness makes Toni’s smirk break out into a grin. “I’ll give it back in English, Cha-Cha. Stay out of trouble.”

Toni’s still grinning like an idiot when Cheryl walks away. This girl is gonna be the death of her.

(She doesn’t give the jacket back.)

* * *

Her mother is out with a ‘client’ tonight, and naturally, Cheryl is alone and when she’s alone she gets depressed and to avoid that sometimes she likes to drink.

So she drinks.

Drunk and alone - it’s a bad combination, she knows, but she’s selling her childhood home tomorrow or discussing it or whatever and she’s so fucking  _angry_.

But being almost halfway through a bottle of vodka stolen from the liquor cabinet downstairs, she’s starting to feel reckless again. Careless, clueless,  _stupid_ , whatever you want to call it. She’s  _lonely_ and there’s two people she wishes were here right now and one of them is dead.

She can’t believe how much it aches to want someone at her side - it’s a longing that she hasn’t felt since Jason died. It leaves her feeling so, so empty. And there’s only one person she knows will come to her if she asks, so she takes out her phone and pulls up Toni’s contact.

She picks up after the fourth ring.

“ _Hey, is everything okay_?”

Her voice is so nice to hear and Cheryl’s heart fills with warmth. Cheryl is silent for a long moment, feeling so  _tingly_ from hearing Toni, even if they just saw each other at school.

“ _Cheryl_?”

“I- yeah. Yeah I’m… c’n you come over?”

“ _Are you drunk_?”

Cheryl scoffs. “W-what?  _No_. I’m- please?”

“I’m on my way. Is your mom home?”

“No.”

She hears a motorcycle roar to life. “ _Be there soon_.”

And Cheryl smiles, hanging up.

God- what the hell is happening to her?

She waits anxiously, eagerly, as she hears the rumble of a motorcycle approach. It quiets, and there’s a soft knock at her door.

Cheryl opens it and her smile turns into a frown. Toni has a black eye, a bit of blood drying on her bottom, swollen lip.

“Shit- what happened?” She asks, cupping Toni’s face gently.

Toni’s breath hitches, because  _wow_ this is different.

(But really, really nice.)

“Ghoulies,” Toni shrugs. “This is nothing.”

Cheryl pulls her in and drags her to the grand bathroom. She stumbles a bit, swaying as she searches for the first aid kit. Toni is silent when Cheryl dabs rubbing alcohol on her lip, wincing a bit at the sting but mostly mesmerized by the soft look on the redhead’s face. (Something inside Toni melts, and she feels it pool in her chest like molten lava.)

Cheryl leaves the bathroom for an ice pack (and takes a long swig of her vodka) and presses it delicately against Toni’s bruised eye. Her breath smells like alcohol, and Toni wrinkles her nose.

“What are you drinking?”

“Magnum Grey Goose,” Cheryl answers quietly.

“What the hell is that?”

“Daddy’s vodka,” Cheryl shrugs. “He never opened it.”

Oh.

Toni doesn’t respond; just reaches up to hold the ice pack herself so Cheryl can put away the first aid kit. She watches Cheryl in silence, suddenly hyper-aware of the droop of her shoulders, the slight downward pull of the corners of her mouth…

“Hey,” Toni reaches out to touch Cheryl’s arm. “Are you okay?”

Cheryl is facing away from her, hands lingering on the cabinet she’d retrieved the kit from. She shakes her head slowly, her posture faltering, like she wants to curl into herself. Toni puts the pack aside and wraps her arms around Cheryl’s middle, pulling her back against Toni’s chest. Toni leans her cheek against Cheryl’s shoulder, not tall enough to place it on top.

Cheryl melts into the embrace, a soft sigh escaping her lips. She closes her eyes, feels Toni’s arms around her, feels safe.

“Stay the night?” She asks quietly.

Toni nods mutely, and Cheryl turns in her arms to press a soft kiss to Toni’s forehead. She puts her hands on Toni’s hips, squeezing lightly and resting her head on top of Toni’s. They stand like this for a while, not saying anything to each other and just appreciating each other’s presence. Finally, Cheryl releases Toni, so Toni releases Cheryl.

“Bed?” Cheryl asks, and for once it’s without the intention of having sex. She just wants to lay down with Toni, to hold her, to feel her in her arms.

It’s…  _intimate_.

Toni nods silently, because she can’t think of anywhere else she’d rather be.

Cheryl takes the bottle and stuffs it in the liquor cabinet, in the far back corner so she can get to it another time. The walk to Cheryl’s room is comfortably silent, and Cheryl strips off her clothes to change into sweats and a t-shirt. She offers similar clothes to Toni, who changes slowly while Cheryl takes off her makeup.

Finally, Cheryl collapses onto her bed with a sigh. Toni slips in beside her, and Cheryl turns to face her.

“Hiram Lodge wants to buy my family home,” she murmurs, voice distant.

Toni turns onto her side as well, eyes tracing Cheryl’s features with an unreadable expression. She waits for Cheryl to continue.

“JJ is buried there and she… she just wants to get rid of it, like it… like everything there means  _nothing_.” Cheryl closes her eyes, suddenly feeling like she’s going to cry. “And I’m so, so  _stupid_ for- for burning it, for trying to cleanse our family- for- and- now she’s-”

“Hey, hey, shh,” Toni puts an arm around Cheryl’s waist, pulling her closer. “Take a deep breath.”

Cheryl clings to her, like she’s the only thing holding her to the Earth, and buries her head into Toni’s neck.

“I miss him,” she whispers and Toni’s heart fucking breaks.

How can such a strong girl be so goddamn  _broken_? Toni’s not exactly the most stable person, she’ll admit, and she’s seen a  _lot_ of shit, but it’s like she’s holding a lost girl in her arms and she just wishes she could help her find whatever she’s searching for.

She kisses Cheryl’s temple and holds her a little tighter. She makes a promise to herself: she’ll make sure Cheryl never feels alone. She swears to every deity that may or may not exist, she will not let Cheryl Blossom suffer any more than she already has because the bitchy act is clearly just that: an  _act_.

“I’m here,” Toni murmurs. “I’m here, okay?”

Cheryl pulls back a bit and kisses Toni softly. It’s slow, intimate - no indication of taking this any further. Another first.

And they fall asleep like that: entwined in each other, with Cheryl’s head on Toni’s chest, Toni’s arms wrapped tightly around Cheryl.

(Toni is starting to wonder if ‘fuckbuddies’ is the correct term anymore; they weren’t even friends before, but now… now it’s like every moment has lead to this: to holding Cheryl in her arms, falling asleep on satin sheets to her steady breaths.)

(She wonders if this is what  _love_ feels like.)

* * *

Cheryl often has nightmares in the off chance that she manages to fall asleep for longer than an hour or two. Usually of Jason, or her father, or even her mother.

Most often it’s Jason, though.

Maybe it’s the twintuition.

This time he’s looking into her eyes, the ice covered river groaning under their combined weight.

“Why?” He croaks.

Cheryl reaches out, and suddenly she’s drowning, drowning. Icy water rushes into her mouth and nose - into her  _lungs_ \- and yanks her into darkness.

She longs to let the river swallow her. Take her life like it took everything else from her.

Jason is a bloated corpse, reaching for her, telling her to join him and-

And then she thinks of Toni, and of living, and suddenly she doesn’t want to let the current take her anymore.

* * *

Toni wakes to Cheryl jolting her head off of her chest, her breathing labored. It sounds like she’s  _gasping_ for air, and it’s that alone that makes Toni snap upright and reach for the redhead.

Cheryl is shivering, struggling to catch her breath, when she falls into the embrace.

“Shh, shh, you’re okay,” Toni murmurs. She has no clue how the hell to deal with this sort of thing, but she kind of remembers her mother doing this when she was a little girl. “Breathe with me, okay? Can you do that?” Cheryl nods. “Okay, breathe in,” Toni inhales slowly, hearing and feeling Cheryl try to follow her action. “Breathe out,” Toni exhales and again Cheryl struggles to catch up. After a few slow breaths, Cheryl is calming down, and stops shaking so hard.

“Sorry,” Cheryl mutters, embarrassed. “I- I haven’t had a nightmare like that around someone else before…”

“You don’t have to be sorry,” Toni frowns, tightening her hold on Cheryl. “You’ve been through hell, y’know. It’s not surprising that your dreams would be anything but pleasant.”

Cheryl is silent for a long moment. Toni waits patiently, because she knows Cheryl is thinking about something and will speak when she is ready.

“I- just- can you hold me?”

“I’m holding you right now,” Toni laughs softly.

“I mean,” Cheryl takes a deep breath. “Like. Can I hold you, too?”

Toni nods, remembers Cheryl can’t really see her, and says, “of course.”

They lay back down, and Cheryl curls into Toni. The height difference allows Cheryl to kiind of envelope the smaller girl, her body warm against Toni’s. Not that Toni is complaining. She just holds Cheryl tight, tangles their legs together under expensive sheets.

Cheryl’s heartbeat is rapid, she can feel it in her chest.

(Toni realizes with a horrifying swoop of her stomach that she’s sort of in love with Cheryl Blossom. And that- that can’t be good at all.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i work 7 days a week so again my spelling errors might be annoying and if they are im sORRY


	5. Saturn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A blissful morning gone wrong; Cheryl is starting to realize how she feels; Penelope is a bitch; Toni is a supportive and caring NOT girlfriend. Feelings. Oh, also a quick flashback. Inspired by 'Saturn' by Sleeping At Last, aka the band that singlehandedly fuels my angst

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's a beautiful song 10/10 recommend if u haven't heard it. it makes me cry

The smell of bacon makes Cheryl’s eyes snap open. Her stomach growls, and she grunts in annoyance. She rolls over, intent on staying in bed with Toni for at  _least_ another few hours - because, like, fuck school and seeing Veronica Lodge - when her arm meets cold sheets. **  
**

What the hell?

Her sleep-addled mind takes a long moment to connect  _food smell_ - _Toni_ - _empty bed_  and after a bit of confusion and connecting she gets up and wraps herself in one of her winter robes. It’s fluffy and warm, made of silk and expensive wool. She makes her way downstairs, her stomach growling again.

Did her mother bring back their private chef? Their servants? Who was cooking breakfast?

She pauses in the doorway of the kitchen, something catching in her throat and that almost familiar warmth filling her chest.

Toni Topaz, still in  _her_ clothes, is standing over the stove, humming to herself, and cooking.

(Cheryl doesn’t quite know how to feel about the odd fluttering in her stomach.)

Toni looks up, smiling when she sees Cheryl. “Morning, sleeping beauty.”

Cheryl blushes.  _Blushes_. “Hey. I- I didn’t realize you could cook.”

Toni shrugs nonchalantly and scoops the bacon onto plates with pancakes. “ _Somebody_ had to feed me when I was a growing kid. It may as well have been myself.”

Cheryl is, not for the first time, reminded of their vastly different upbringings. It makes her stomach clench, and she has a strange but strong desire to wrap her arms around Toni.

So she crosses the kitchen, and does just that, just before Toni can take the plates to the island counter to eat. She pulls Toni close, her arms around her waist, and presses a kiss to the top of her head. Toni sinks into the embrace, a smirk on her lips.

“What was that for?” Toni asks.

Cheryl shrugs lightly. “I don’t know.”

Toni’s smirk spreads into a smile. “ _Right_ , weirdo. Let’s eat.” She turns and places a kiss to Cheryl’s lips and then grabs their food to bring it to the island counter.

(Cheryl tries not to think about the sweetness of this domesticity. The alluring pull in her chest at the sight of Toni  _cooking them breakfast_  in  _her_ clothes; the odd tingly feeling in her chest and stomach when Toni looks at her with those soft brown eyes.)

“How do you feel?” Toni asks when Cheryl begins to eat, the growling of her stomach too annoying to ignore.

They have two hours to kill before school starts, not that she really wants to go, so Cheryl eats slowly before she answers.

“I’m… fine.” She sips her glass of water when Toni places it down and sits on the stool beside hers. “I didn’t drink  _that_ much.”

“I meant about selling your home.”

“Oh.” Cheryl  tries not to moan at the taste of the pancakes. Blossom maple syrup. She wonders how the actual fuck her mother plans on keeping their business afloat. She chews slowly, swallows, and sips her water again. “Well… I’m furious, on one hand. On the other, I’m…” She feels a lump rise in her throat. “Devastated. My brother is buried there. Who will put flowers over his grave?”

Toni reaches out across the table, placing her hand over Cheryl’s. “Hey, it will be okay. Why don’t we-”

The front door opens and Cheryl’s stomach fucking drops.

“Cheryl, I’m- what is going on here?” Penelope Goddamn Blossom stops in the doorway of the kitchen, and Cheryl looks at her with a fake smile that feels like it’s splitting her face in two.

“Breakfast, mommy.” She answers sweetly, pulling her hand away from Toni’s.

“Who is that?” Penelope juts her chin in Toni’s direction.

Toni shifts uncomfortably, glancing between mother and daughter. She’s never met any of the Blossoms besides Cheryl, but it’s becoming clear why Cheryl is the way she is. Not just from what Cheryl’s told her, or what she can connect mentally, but also the way the two are interacting; the way the tension fills the room like thick, black smoke.

“This is Toni Topaz. She’s my partner for an English project,” Cheryl says.

“And she’s in your  _clothes_ , in our  _kitchen_ , making  _breakfast_ ,” Penelope says slowly, her lips suddenly pulling into a sadistic smile. “ _Right_.”

“Mother, I-”

“Don’t.” Penelope snaps. “Cheryl, I would like to speak to you alone.”

“I’ll just-” Toni moves to stand but Cheryl grips her hand, her eyes meeting Toni’s. Toni stops, the terror in those chocolate eyes enough to make her heart nearly stop.

“Whatever you want to say,” Cheryl looks back to her mother, “you can say in front of Toni.”

Penelope rolls her eyes. “Cheryl, this is not a joke. Get away from her.”

“No.”

Penelope’s gaze turns steely, her smile becoming tight and strained. “What did you say?”

“I said  _no_ , mother.” Cheryl bristles, her fight or flight response flaring in her body. Normally, it’s a roll of dice, but the choice here is clear and it may or may not have to do with the girl sitting next to her.

“Cheryl Marjorie Blossom,” her mother growls, “I understand your sudden self-destructive attitude towards yourself and our family but you will  _not_ bring it into this house. I refuse to let you taint this home the way you tainted Thornhill.”

“ _I_  tainted Thornhill?” Cheryl scoffs. “Your  _husband_ killed your  _son_ and  _I’m_  the one who tainted our home? Our  _name_?”

“This is  _not_ the time to discuss this and this is  _not_ the company to discuss it around.” Penelope’s eyes have fire dancing behind them, and Toni suddenly feels like shielding the redhead beside her.

“There  _is_ no time, and there  _is_ no better company, mommy, because you  _refuse_ to talk about it. You can’t wipe our slate clean like the past year didn’t fucking happen!” Cheryl’s voice is icy and hard.

Penelope advances towards them and Toni stands, moving in front of Cheryl.

“Lay a hand on her and I will have  _every_  Serpent storm this house like a goddamn plague,” the pink-haired girl threatens, her voice low and her eyes hardened.

Penelope pauses, fury still etched on her features. She and Toni stare each other down, and Cheryl is absolutely frozen in her spot - in  _time_. Toni defended her against her  _mother_. Does she have a fucking death wish?

The girl is shorter than Penelope but the way she’s holding herself makes it seem like she’s  _looming_ over the older woman, and that alone reminds Cheryl that Toni is in an  _actual_ gang, and has probably had to face worse enemies. Hell, it’s literally written on her  _face_ in purple, swollen bruises that Cheryl had to clean last night.

“Toni,” she whispers, and Toni glances at her over her shoulder. “Let’s just… go. Okay? Let’s get out of here.”

Toni turns back to Penelope, whose eyes have narrowed. After a tense moment, Toni nods, and Cheryl slips out of her seat and takes Toni’s hand.

(The two get ready in Cheryl’s room, Toni donning more of Cheryl’s clothes as well as her own jacket, and they leave the house without further interruption.)

(Cheryl can’t believe anyone would stand up for her like that.)

(Cheryl can’t believe anyone  _cares_  about her enough to stand up for her like that.)

(The lines between  _frenemies_  and  _lovers_ and  _maybe more_ are becoming too blurred.)

Once they exit the house, she can’t help but take Toni’s face in her hands, as gently as possible to avoid the bruises, and kisses her gently. She can’t find the words to express her gratitude, her  _relief_ , at finally,  _finally_ , finding someone who makes her feel  _wanted_ and  _cared for_ after her brother’s death, but she pours as much as she can into that kiss.

When she pulls away, Toni is smiling.

“What was that for?” She asks, voice barely above a whisper.

“You being…  _you_.” Cheryl answers just as quietly.

Toni’s smile softens, reaching her eyes in a way that makes Cheryl’s stomach swoop pleasantly. Cheryl smiles back, her body buzzing pleasantly. She feels…  _happy_. In a way she hasn’t in so, so long.

“Hey, wanna skip school today?” Toni tilts her head to the side, looking up at Cheryl through her lashes.

Cheryl chuckles. “Yeah, actually. I do. Where did you want to go?”

Toni thinks for a moment. “I have a few stops in mind, if you aren’t too afraid of riding on my baby.”

“Your- oh God, do you mean your  _death machine_?” Cheryl’s eyes widen and Toni can’t help the laugh that slips.

“I’m in a  _motorcycle gang_ , Cheryl. And I don’t wanna leave her here.  _Especially_ with your psycho mother. Uh- no offence.”

Cheryl snorts. “None taken, believe me. But- um- okay. Sure. What the hell do I have to lose at this point?”

Toni’s grin widens. “That’s my girl.”

(Cheryl tries - and fails - to ignore the pleasant flutter of her heart.  _My girl_.)

* * *

The first stop is, oddly enough, a flower shop. She tells Cheryl to pick out a bouquet, and pays for it  _herself_ which is - well… shocking, to be honest, and she even ignores Cheryl’s protests.

The next stop is oddly enough in the direction of Thornhill and it hits Cheryl all at once what they’re doing.

“Toni,” she says over the roar of the wind around them. Her arms are wrapped securely around the Serpent’s waist, the flowers in a compartment on the bike. Her hair, despite the helmet, whips behind her like wildfire. “You don’t have to-”

“Save it, Cheryl Bombshell.” Toni replies. “I know I don’t  _have_ to. But I want to.”

Cheryl smiles to herself.

* * *

Toni fights the chill of the early morning air. School has started by now, and maybe Jughead and the others are wondering where the hell they are - but to be honest, she doesn’t really care because Cheryl  _needs_ this.

The redhead’s hand hasn’t left hers since they began the trek through tombstones older than either of them, the other clutching the bouquet of white lilies tightly. It’s a silent walk, the peace of long-since-buried Blossoms lulling them into a comfortable quietness. She doesn’t know what to say, because this is Cheryl’s family beneath their feet, and it’s Cheryl’s brother they’re going to see.

She knows the two were close, and she remembers reading somewhere about twins having a unique bond that lasts beyond death. About how many feel like they’ve lost a piece of themselves. She wonders if Cheryl feels like she lost a piece of herself.

(She  _knows_ she does. She knows Cheryl feels like Jason was her last shred of humanity and Toni will be damned if she doesn’t show Cheryl that that is  _not_ true.)

( _Fuck_ , she thinks to herself,  _I really_ am  _falling for her_.)

(The aspect isn’t as scary as she initially thought.)

(But it’s still new territory, and Cheryl is unpredictable as fire. She could either be consumed by the flames, or learn to tame them.)

Finally, they reach a tombstone that is shiny, like it’s brand new, and Cheryl stops.

“Can- would you mind if…?” Cheryl asks quietly, and Toni nods.

“I’ll go back to the entrance, okay? Shout if you need me, and I’ll be here in an instant.” Toni promises and Cheryl nods mutely. With a final, what she hopes is comforting, squeeze of Cheryl’s hand, Toni releases it and heads back to the entrance of the hauntingly still cemetery.

Cheryl waits until her footsteps fade before leaning down to place the flowers against the tombstone. Her throat clenches, her breath catching. She forces herself to take a breath, and chuckles to herself.

“Hey, JJ, it’s been a while,” she murmurs. “I’m sorry I couldn’t…” she stops herself. “Polly is doing great, and- and the babies are healthy. That’s- it’s  _something_ good to come out of…  _this_. She misses you. And- and I do, too.” She looks behind her, and can’t see Toni over the other graves.

“I met someone, JJ.” She whispers, smiling to herself despite the tears swelling in her eyes. “She’s… I thought I hated her, but… well, you know how I am.” Her lip quivers, and she takes another slow breath. “She’s so good to me, and she- she barely even  _knows_ me. It’s crazy, I know, but-” her voice breaks. “Remember when I asked you about Polly?”

* * *

_“What’s it like, JJ?” Cheryl whispered, her body leaning against her brother’s._

_Nights like this, they needed to get away from their parents. Jason was angry about something, though he wouldn’t tell her what, and their mother was particularly cruel to Cheryl. So they needed to just… get away for a bit. Jason drove them to the cliff that overlooked the river, where the stars always seemed to shine the brightest._

_“What’s what like?” Jason asked, just as quiet as his sister as they looked up at the night sky._

_Riverdale always seemed so small, but in moments like this it felt microscopic. Sometimes, he swore he felt their father’s eyes on them - as if he could watch them through a mirror like some sort of evil wizard. (Jason wouldn’t be surprised.)_

_“Love?_ Real  _love?” Cheryl’s voice faltered, and Jason felt a pang of sorrow. After Heather, his sister was left broken. A husk of who she once was. Sometimes he didn’t even recognize her._

_“It’s…” He thought for a moment. “It’s like… seeing everything for the first time. Like you went your whole life without seeing the stars, and then it’s like- like the universe was made just to be seen by your eyes.” He paused. “Cher, you know, you deserve it. Love. Happiness. You deserve to see the universe.”_

_Cheryl didn’t respond. Just closed her eyes, and wished for something -_ anything  _\- to let her see the stars the way Jason did._

* * *

“She makes me see them, JJ,” Cheryl’s voice breaks again, a few tears slipping from her eyes. “The stars.” She wipes her eyes with the sleeve of her stupid expensive jacket. “And they’re -  _she’s_ \- so beautiful. I think… I think I finally know what you meant.”

He doesn’t respond, of course. Because dead brothers can’t talk. But she swears she feels the ghost of the smile that would grace his features. The smile he saved just for Cheryl that showed his dimples. The smile that made her feel safe and wanted and loved.

And she smiles back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i drank 4 cups of our coldbrew and if u didn't know, coldbrew is stronger than regular ice coffee, and we mix ours with espresso, so im kinda hyper as shit rn


	6. Hurricane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cheryl and Toni spend the rest of their day in Toni’s bed and it’s cute and gay; The Lodges offer a deal; Toni almost kills Jughead; Penelope is a shitty person; Cheryl has a literal breakdown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am actually so gay for madelaine petsch and vanessa morgan it's fuckign insane they could literally run me over

Cheryl sighs with a shiver when Toni drags her lips along her collarbone, her hands tangling in pink hair. Toni’s tongue flattens against her skin, and Cheryl’s quiet moan makes her hum.

“Toni,” Cheryl murmurs.

It’s late morning, now, with the sunlight peeking through Toni’s cheap blinds and casting a soft glow on the girls as they lay on Toni’s bed. Toni doesn’t think she’ll ever get used to the sight of Cheryl Blossom, naked, in her bed. It’s a sight she wants to commit to memory, a sight worthy of eternal appreciation.

Toni waits, pressing a soft kiss to Cheryl’s neck. “Hm?”

“You’ve been taking care of me all day -  _hell_ , all  _week_.” The redhead bites her lip. “Can I take care of you?”

Toni pulls back, quirking an eyebrow as Cheryl’s hands move to the back of her neck. “Cheryl, you literally fucked me on this exact bed before. You don’t have to ask.”

“Consent is sexy,” Cheryl says, her leg hooking around Toni’s. “And besides, I want to make you feel as good as you’ve made me feel.”

Toni smirks. “Well, since you’re asking so nicely…”

“No, no,” Cheryl matches her smirk. “I want to hear you say it.”

“Say that I want to have sex with you?” Toni snorts.

Cheryl leans down, presses a kiss to Toni’s jugular, then takes Toni’s earlobe in her teeth and tugs lightly. “I want,” she purrs, “to hear you say you want me to fuck you.”

Toni’s breath hitches.  _God_ , this Cheryl can be so damned alluring that she can’t think beyond the fog of arousal that’s clouding her mind. She inhales sharply when Cheryl bites into her neck.

“I want you to fuck me,” she hisses.

Cheryl chuckles lowly, and if Toni wasn’t laying down she’s sure her knees would give out. “Good girl,” Cheryl breathes and Toni shudders in anticipation.

Fingers trail down her back, blunt nails raising goosebumps in their wake. Cheryl moves so that she’s straddling the shorter girl, her hips rolling into Toni’s in a way that makes the Serpent gasp.

Cheryl’s hands skim over her sides, her lips pressing hot open-mouth kisses over Toni’s neck. She bites gently, sucks softly at her skin, and Toni’s hands move to grip the redhead’s waist. She tilts her head, giving Cheryl more access to her sensitive spots. Cheryl rolls her hips again and Toni groans.

Cheryl moves her body down, kissing along Toni’s collarbone to her breasts. (She can feel Toni’s hammering heartbeat when she kisses between them, and that need for control flares in her like wildfire, threatening to consume her.)

She takes Toni’s nipple in her mouth and the shorter girl immediately arches into her.

“Shit-” Toni hisses.

Cheryl runs her tongue over the hardening bud, her other hand reaching up to pinch at the other, and Toni shivers with a moan. Cheryl switches to her other breast, pinching and rolling with her fingers. Toni’s hips buck against hers, and she hums.

She kisses down a taut, flat stomach, eyeing the Serpent tattoo that rests under Toni’s left breast, right on her ribs. She caresses it with her fingers, because every part of Toni is so fucking beautiful to her that she can’t  _believe_ this girl wants  _her_.

And, God, she just-

She wants to smother Toni in her affection, in her kisses.

She pauses, just over Toni’s clit, and exhales softly. Toni’s thighs twitch, and Cheryl runs her nails along them, eliciting more goosebumps. She looks up, meeting Toni’s gaze steadily, and runs her tongue along Toni’s sensitive flesh. Toni inhales sharply, hands moving to clutch red tendrils.

“Fuck-” she sighs when Cheryl repeats the motion, running her tongue over Toni’s clit. “Right-  _fuck_.”

There’s a flame burning in Cheryl; it feels like a sun is settling in her chest, in her stomach, expanding and filling her from the inside out and-  _God_ , she realizes with a jolt that she doesn’t feel like she’s rotting inside anymore.

She hums against Toni’s clit, making the Serpent’s back arch and a low moan slip from her mouth. And when Cheryl dips her tongue inside of her, Toni sighs her name and -  _fuck_ \- t’s fucking  _music_ to her ears.

Cheryl’s hands move to Toni’s hips and presses them into the bed, the other girl moving a bit too much for Cheryl’s liking. Toni whines low in her throat, and Cheryl can’t help but moan against her.

She feels Toni’s nails digging into her scalp, but Cheryl takes her damn time because she is going to savor every second of this. Every moan, every gasp, every twitch that comes from Toni is a goddamn  _gift_ and she will cherish them forever.

(Forever. She’s never thought about  _forever_ before.)

(Toni makes her  _want_ to think about forever.)

(And every thought of forever focuses around Toni.)

(It’s terrifying and exhilarating.)

(It’s addictive.)

“I’m-  _oh_ \- gonna-” Toni sputters around incoherent curses. “Cheryl- I’m-”

Cheryl moves one hand from Toni’s hip to run her fingers through Toni’s slick folds. Toni’s moans are getting loud, needy, and Cheryl is all too willing to give her what she wants. She slides her fingers inside of the Serpent, curls them  _just-so_ , and Toni comes undone with a mewl of Cheryl’s name.

When Toni is shaking through aftershocks, Cheryl moves up her body, presses a kiss to her naval, her tattoo, her jaw, then her lips as blissful sighs leave them.

Toni is smiling, eyes slowly opening to meet Cheryl’s.

Cheryl smiles, too, because this girl is going to be the death of her and she couldn’t be happier.

* * *

“I have to tell you something…” Cheryl says, and initially Toni is worried.

Toni turns to face the redhead, eyebrow arched questioningly. “You’re not usually one for pillow talk.” Cheryl rolls her eyes. “What’s up?”

“Before… you, I never…” Cheryl’s cheeks burn crimson and Toni’s eyes widen in understanding.

“What-  _never_?”

Cheryl hides her flushed face in the crook of her arm, nodding.

“Wow,” Toni breathes disbelievingly. “I deflowered Cheryl Blossom.”

Cheryl groans. “Please don’t phrase it like that.”

“Wait- I thought Chuck Clayton took your v-card in sophomore year?”

“Lies and slander; we made out in his car.” Cheryl shrugs, uncovering her face with a sigh. “I just didn’t bother to correct him. Jason beat him up for it, anyway, and it was really all for show. Couldn’t have mommy dearest thinking her daughter wasn’t involved in the teenage boy scene.”

Toni frowns. “Well,” she leans in close and Cheryl tries not to think about how beautiful she looks in the afternoon light. “I’m honored to be your first.” She thinks for a moment. “So - that night at your Christmas party-?”

“Christmas  _Gala_.” Cheryl corrects. “But- yes.”

Toni hums thoughtfully. “So… you’re just…  _naturally_ good at eating girls out, then?”

Cheryl snorts. “Of course that’s the first thing you’d say.”

Toni grins with a wink. “Well you’re a very talented woman, Miss Blossom. A true sapphic icon.”

Cheryl rolls her eyes. “Whatever, dork.”

“Seriously though,” Toni’s eyes are shining with something indefinable but warm. “I’m honored to have been where no other has gone before.”

Cheryl kisses her, because Toni makes her feel something pleasant that she hasn’t felt in a long while.

And then Toni is on top of her, smiling down at her like she holds the goddamn stars in her eyes, and kisses her again. And again. And again.

(Cheryl wonders if  _this_ is it. This is what-  _it_ feels like.)

(She’s terrified to think it.)

(She’s terrified to confront it.)

(But maybe this is it.)

* * *

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” Toni asks worriedly.

Thistlehouse seems to loom over them like more of a prison than a house, and Cheryl swears she can feel her mother’s eyes on them through the damned walls.

“No,” Cheryl answers honestly. “But I… thank you. For today. For everything. For…  _you_.”

“I’m a text away,” Toni promises softly, fingertips tracing Cheryl’s cheek. “If you feel like you need to get out, just tell me and I promise I’ll-”

Cheryl kisses her. She pulls back, a fond smile on her lips. “I will.”

Toni watches her slip away into the house that makes her skin crawl. She knows this dinner is important, and that Penelope probably won’t do anything in front of the Lodges. But, God, she’s so terrified for Cheryl that she can’t even begin to express it.

So she gets on her bike, eyes the expensive vehicles parked in the driveway, and drives into the night.

* * *

“Always making an entrance,” Penelope says with that sickeningly fake tone that makes Cheryl immediately want to run back out and call Toni.

But she doesn’t. She is a Blossom, and she’ll be damned if she lets this woman weaken her in front of other people.

She smiles sweetly, slipping into the dining room where her mother sits with Hiram, Hermione, and Veronica Lodge. Veronica eyes her with curiosity, and maybe with criticism since Cheryl’s makeup is a bit smeared. Whatever. Cheryl doesn’t fucking care.

She sits at the empty seat beside her mother, her expression turning carefully neutral.

“Sorry I’m late,” she lies. “I was out with a friend.”

“‘ _Out with a friend_ ’,” Penelope scoffs. “As if gallivanting with a Serpent is a casual affair.”

“Just as your outings are  _casual affairs_ , mother.” Cheryl replies venomously and Veronica shifts uncomfortably.

“I, for one, am glad you and Toni are getting along,” she says awkwardly and Cheryl shoots her a glare that could  _kill_.

“Well, we aren’t here to discuss my newfound friendship, are we?”

“No, we aren’t.” Penelope’s grin is strained.

* * *

The first time she says it, Jughead almost chokes on his burger. He sputters, chugging his coke to wash his food down. Then, he says the first thing on the tip of his tongue:

“I- what?”

Toni snorts, leans back in her side of the booth, and repeats: “I think I’m in love with her, Jug.”

Jughead is just as prepared as the first time, but luckily does not choke again.

“With… Cheryl.”

“Yeah.”

“Oh.”

A pause.

“That’s it?” Toni scoffs.

He shrugs. “It’s not exactly a surprise. All you do is talk about her, and you haven’t really left her side since you started having sex.”

Toni blushes. “I do  _not_ talk about her  _that_ much.”

“Well- regardless, do you… uh, does she…?”

“I don’t know.” Toni looks down at her fries, frowning to herself. “She’s… scared. Of feelings. Of her mom. Of  _herself_ , I think. She might just want to keep being… whatever we are.”

“Fuckbuddies with emotional attatchment?”

“Yeah.”

Jughead takes a long, slow sip of his coke. “Well,” he says with a smack of his lips. “I think she loves you, too.”

“Really?” Toni hates how hopeful she sounds.

He smiles that genuine, dorky smile. “Really.”

* * *

“You have some  _nerve_ , Cheryl,” Penelope snarls.

The Lodges are long gone, and Cheryl can’t even fucking remember half of the dinner. She was as snarky as possible about the whole thing, making sure to throw in as many bitchy comments as she could manage without seeming impolite - much to the chagrin of her mother. One thing, however, was certain: Thornhill was going to be purchased by Hiram Lodge, and the Lodges would officially co-operate Blossom Maple Farms.

Fucking. Bullshit.

“I thought you were past this-  _ridiculous_ phase but clearly I have been too lenient with you.” Penelope continues furiously. “You aren’t some Serpent bitch’s pet, you’re a  _Blossom_.”

“She’s  _not_ ‘some Serpent bitch’. She makes me  _happy_ , and I make  _her_ happy. Why can’t you just be my  _mother_ and  _support_ me?”

“ _Happy_?” Penelope scoffs. “Does she even  _know_ you?” Cheryl’s stunned silence at the question gives her mother the answer she was waiting for. She grins maliciously, her eyes lighting up with sick amusement. “She doesn’t. Of course she doesn’t. Do you really think she could be happy with  _you_? You are a loveless, emotional anorexic, Cheryl. You starve yourself of all feeling, of  _happiness_ , for the sake of your pathetic victim mindset. She could  _never_ love a monster like you.”

“Fuck you.” Cheryl growls, her throat suddenly tight and her eyes stinging.

“What did you say?” Penelope steps closer to her.

“I said ‘ _fuck you_ ’. Are you a  _deaf_ whore now, too?”

Before she knows it, Cheryl is on the floor, a sharp pain running along her arm from where she’d caught herself.

“You are nothing but a spoiled child,” Penelope spits. “A self-centered, spiteful little brat just like your brother and just like your father.”

“Jason was-”

“Better than you in _every way_ , I’ll admit, but you? Oh, you are  _just_ like your father. A Blossom through-and-through. Heartless. You only take and take until you’ve leached the world around you of all its light. You’re a  _monster_.”

The doorbell rings, and Penelope stops to collect herself. She takes a deep breath, plasters on a fake smile. Cheryl is shaking, her eyes full of tears that are just begging to be shed.

“Go to bed, dear. I have a client.” With that, Penelope turns away, and Cheryl lays frozen on the floor of the dining room.

Slowly, she stands, and her damn wrist hurts so fucking much. She scurries to her room, hearing a gruff, unfamiliar voice announcing her mother’s ‘client’.

As soon as the door shuts behind her, she falls back against it and slides to the ground. A sob slips, and then several follow, wracking violently through her body.

The worst part about all of this isn’t her home being sold, or her mother yelling at her or hurting her. No- the worst part was the  _truth_ of it all.

How  _could_  Toni ever find happiness in her? How could she even  _want_ her for anything besides the occasional good fuck? God, how could Cheryl be so  _stupid_. So  _blind_ to it all. After all, no one has ever showed her kindness without asking for something in return. Not since Jason.

When Veronica and the others saved her, they left her almost immediately. They didn’t  _really_ want to save her. Why would they? She’d been nothing but cruel to them, nothing but-

Nothing but a monster.

God.

She’s so, so stupid.

She stands, and because she is angry and sad and so fucking  _done_ with it all, she slams her fist into her vanity mirror. She  _hopes_ her mother fucking hears.

She doesn’t even register the stinging in her hand, or the glass in her knuckles, or the blood dribbling over her porcelain skin.

Because Cheryl Blossom isn’t just a monster.

She’s a fucking hurricane and she destroys everything in her path.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha u guys didn't have to suffer a cliffhanger since i just uploaded the next chapter today


	7. Bloodsport

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cheryl is back to her old, bitchy self except even worse than before; Ton’s heart tears in two; Sweet Pea is a good friend; Veronica calls Toni to look after Cheryl at her open house; Toni beats the shit out of Nick St. Clair; Cheryl comes to a realization. BAM. TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE, BABY.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok now we're all caught up this has taken me a bit longer than expected since ao3 was a stubborn little shit

Toni is talking with Kevin and Jughead when Veronica charges into the lounge, fuming in her designer dress. A force to be reckoned with, despite her small size.

“Whoa, what’s up, V?” Betty asks from her discussion with Archie on the sofa.

“Queen B is on a rampage.” Veronica answers. “A  _bad_ one, too. Like. Shove a kid into a locker just because he stood in front of her bad.”

“Is it because of the dinner?” Archie asks.

“No idea.” Veronica shakes her head and sighs. “But, oh my god, I could stab her with my heels.”

Toni frowns, and Jughead sends her a worried glance. “Is she okay?”

“Didn’t ask, seeing as her GLARE was enough to tell me to stay away for today. Shit, I don’t even want to go to Vixen’s practice.” Veronica shudders at the mere thought.

“Maybe I should-” Toni stands and Archie and Betty stare at her in shock.

“Um- did- did I miss something?” Betty asks, confused.

Kevin rolls his eyes. “Yeah, weeks of sexual tension and a  _clear_ sapphic trope. God, it’s like you two don’t live on the same planet.”

Jughead coughs awkwardly to hide a laugh, and Toni crosses her arms with a light blush.

“Thanks, Kevin,” she mutters.

Veronica scoffs. “Her mom was a real bitch about that last night.”

Toni freezes. “W-what?”

“Yeah. Like underhanded classist comments. It was  _so_ uncomfortable. I thought Cheryl was going to punch her.” She sighs. “Thought  _I_  was gonna punch her.”

Toni’s mind is made up. “I’m going to go find her.”

The others watch her go, Archie and Betty still shocked, but Kevin, Jughead, and Veronica exchanging a knowing look.

* * *

How the hell Cheryl has been avoiding Toni all day is  _almost_ impressive. Almost, if it didn’t frustrate Toni so damn much. She hasn’t even seen a  _flciker_ of red hair in the hallways. Is this bitch  _teleporting_ to her classes? She doesn’t even text Toni  _back_. Or answer her calls.

She finally -  _finally_ \- catches a break in the bathroom. She takes her chance right then and there because Cheryl clearly needs to be approached directly.

“You’ve been avoiding me.” She says flatly.

“Whoa- you want a medal, genius?” Cheryl quips, capping her lipstick and checking her reflection.

Toni isn’t a fucking idiot. She’s not blind to the subtle things Cheryl does that seem so obvious to her but aren’t even noticed by others. She sees the damned  _bandages_ on Cheryl’s hand, the way she’s glued to her reflection so she isn’t looking at Toni, the tenseness of her shoulders.

“Cheryl.  _Talk_ to me. Don’t shut me out.” Toni’s voice softens. “Please.”

Cheryl’s inhale is slow and trembling. “I can’t do this.” She whispers.

“What?” Toni steps towards her. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Cheryl turns to face her, her expression so carefully twisted into an angry one that Toni  _knows_ she’s hiding something. “ _This_. I-I can’t do  _this_.”

“Y… You mean… us?” Toni feels a pang of hurt, and she feels like the walls are closing in.

“I can’t  _do_ that- that  _feeling_ … of seeing you with your stupid pretty face and your goddamn infuriatingly perfect personality… and having you- having-” Cheryl’s voice cracks. “We’re too different. I can’t do this.”

“Different?” Toni echoes. “You-”

“Are a Blossom.” Cheryl’s voice hardens. “And you’re…”

Toni’s heart fucking shatters. “Southside Scum.” She finishes, her voice shaking. “I thought you were different. God, I fucking thought that I-” she stops herself.

Cheryl’s bottom lip quivers. “I… I’m sorry.” She closes her eyes, turning away.

Toni isn’t a fucking idiot.

She  _knows_ -

She  _hopes_ -

Cheryl doesn’t want to do this. God, she hopes with every fibre of her being.

“Cheryl…” She steps forward again.

“Please just… go. Get away from me. I can’t… I’m…”  _A monster_. It catches in Cheryl’s throat.

Toni bites her lip. “Okay… okay, I’ll go. But please, talk to me? When you… when you want to. You know I’m a text away.”

Cheryl, despite the horrible aching in her chest, nods mutely, and Toni leaves.

As soon as the door shuts, Cheryl wipes the tears from her eyes.

* * *

It’s been a week. Well, seven and a half days, not that Toni’s counting. Nothing but radio silence on Cheryl’s end, even during their English Class. If Toni so much as  _tries_ to change the subject, Cheryl brings it right back to the material at hand. Their project is due this coming Wednesday, and Toni’s afraid she’s gonna lose Cheryl completely once it’s over.

So, it’s a Friday night, and here she is. She’s just been sitting in her trailer, feeling a bit empty and a bit lonely, when there’s a knock at her door before it slams open.

“Hey, Topaz!” Sweet Pea announces. He looks at her on her couch and sighs, frowning. “Okay, so I came to cheer you up.” The door shuts loudly behind him and Toni has always hated how loud he slams her damn door.

But he’s smiling so genuinely and Toni fucking loves this asshole so she rolls her eyes and cracks a smile.

“That’s my girl!” He plops down on the couch and Toni grunts.

“If you break my fucking couch again, I swear to God-” she threatens halfheartedly.

“I came here to do something even better: dissect your broken heart.” He clutches his chest dramatically and Toni groans.

“That’s nice of you, but I’m fine.”

“No, you aren’t. So: spill the tea, bitch.”

Toni sighs, and looks at her lap. “I think something happened with her mom. She won’t even  _look_ at me anymore.” She bites her lip. “And the day before was so,  _so_ nice and.. And I was so sure we were  _getting somewhere_. That I…”

“Loved her.” Sweet Pea finishes with a sad frown. “You did, didn’t you?”

“I don’t know.” Toni answers quietly.

They sit quietly for a long moment. Toni wishes she knew what was wrong with Cheryl, but Cheryl won’t even talk to her. Won’t even glance her way. She’s clearly hurting and Toni wants to press through those icy walls because Cheryl Blossom is worth fighting for and Toni can’t fucking believe how much she wants to fight for her.

“Hey- wanna know somethin’, T?” Sweet Pea asks, breaking the silence. Toni hums. “I think she loves you, too. She stares at you all the time, y’know. It’s like watching one of those ASPCA commercials.”

Toni scoffs. “Right. I…” She trails off when a low buzzing catches her attention. She fumbles for her phone, because she totally was  _not_ waiting for Cheryl to call all night. Sweet Pea makes a whipping sound and Toni shoots him a glare before picking up. “Hello? Cheryl?”

_“Hey, Toni. Um. It’s Veronica.”_

Toni Topaz’s heart fucking stops in her chest.

* * *

She knows she’s just doing this to distract herself. Getting high and drunk with a handsome rich boy from New York. She’d done this all the time, before she met… with the jocks, but the game was just as easy and the rules never change.

Flirt, giggle, make him swoon over her. She just wants to feel wanted, and she knows Toni wants nothing to do with her anymore.

But she’s certain she didn’t drink  _that_ much. She’s not a lightweight, either, so she’s certain she shouldn’t be  _this_ drunk after two mixed drinks.

But, God, she just wants to feel like somebody wants her and-

And Nick is  _right there_ , looking at her with a charming smile. He’s not Toni but he’s- he’s  _someone_ and Cheryl certainly has his attention.

“C’mon, let’s get you out of here,” he says and there’s something in the back of her mind that’s saying,  _Slow down there, Cheryl_.  _This is probably not a smart idea._

But he wants her.

And she-

She wants to be wanted.

So she nods and for some reason  _stumbles_ as she walks. He wraps his arm around her waist, supporting her suddenly clumsy body. Her limbs feel rather heavy, and-

And did she drink this much?

She doesn’t feel good.

She feels dizzy, and-

“Hey,  _asshole_.” Is all she hears before Nick is ripped away from her and she collapses to the ground. She hears a few thuds, and then a horribly thick silence. And then there’s nothing.

* * *

“We should call someone.” Veronica murmurs.

“But we’re on in ten,” Josie whispers.

“This is  _not_ good. I  _know_ Nick. I don’t trust him like that. Especially alone with Cheryl.” Veronica takes out her phone.

“Who’re you calling?” Josie asks.

“Hey, Toni. Um. It’s Veronica.” She turns around, focusing on her phone. “I know things between you and Cheryl are… complicated. She’s been hanging out with Nick St. Clair and they’re at my Open House but something… doesn’t seem right. Can you just come here as soon as you can?”

_“I’m on my way. Text me the address.”_ Toni’s voice is low and anxious, and Veronica shifts awkwardly.

“Why  _Toni Topaz_?” Josie asks when Veronica hangs up to send Toni the address.

“Because she’s the only goddamn person we can rely on right now.” She answers honestly.

* * *

As soon as she steps into the party (feeling  _horribly_ under dressed) Toni sweeps her eyes over the crowds of people. Which, thanks to her damned shortness, is a fruitless effort. She makes her way through crowd after crowd until-

There!

A flash of red hair. Cheryl’s walking strangely, like her body is going limp but she isn’t quite aware. Slow and sluggish, and some guy is holding her up by her fucking waist. Terror and fury grip Toni’s chest and before she knows it she’s storming towards the man holding onto Cheryl.

“Hey,  _asshole_!” She snarls and as soon as the asshole looks towards her she punches him as hard as she can.

He falls to the ground with a pained groan and Toni’s mind focuses solely on beating the fucking  _shit_ out of him. It takes both Veronica and Josie to pull her off of him, and even then she’s thrashing so hard two other girls join them.

“Toni! Toni, he’s  _bleeding!_  Stop!” Veronica says until Toni stops her struggling. She’s rigid as stone under their grips.

“What the  _fuck_ did you do to her?” She snarls. “Huh? Drug her? Did you want to-”

“Okay, okay, that’s enough.” A man Toni has never fucking seen in her  _life_ says, stepping in front of her and blocking her view from the sick fuck who’s clutching his face. “Miss, I’m going to have to ask you to leave with your drunk friend.”

“ _Drunk friend?_ ” Toni snaps. “He  _clearly_ drugged her so he could drag her away-”

“She’s had too much to drink.” The man smiles, but his eyes are alight with a dangerous fire. “Please, take her and leave.”

Toni yanks herself out of the girls’ grips and charges over to Cheryl’s slump body. When she picks her up, she stirs.

“Shh, it’s okay, Cher.” She murmurs, lifting up the girl with a surprising amount of strength. “It’s me. I’ve got you.”

“Toni?” Cheryl slurs.

“Yeah, baby, it’s Toni.” She glares at the man. “You haven’t seen the last of me.” She threatens before carrying Cheryl away.

Veronica and the others watch her go.

“So  _that’s_ why you called Toni,” Josie mutters.

“Yeah.”

“Should we-”

“Yeah.”

They follow Toni out to the lot, where she carries Cheryl right to a pickup truck. A boy they recognize as one of the other Serpents (Sweet Pea, Veronica remembers) is smoking a cigarette when he spots Toni with Cheryl. He flicks it away and jogs over to them.

“Shit- what happened?”

“Some guy fucking  _drugged_ her.” Toni hisses and Sweet Pea’s jaw drops.

“Fuck. Did he-”

“No, I punched him in the face.”

Sweet Pea cracks a grin. “I wish they let me in.”

“Well I might’ve needed a fast getaway. Which I  _do_ , so get your  _ass_ in the truck and-”

“Toni!” Veronica hurries over. Josie, Valerie and Melody pause behind her. “Do- should we-?”

“Stay here. I can handle this.” Toni replies when Sweet Pea opens the passenger door for her. “Just- get me that fucker’s name and tell me what’s happening.”

“Right.” Veronica nods. “Please tell me when you’re both safe.”

Toni eases Cheryl’s still limp body into the bench seat of the truck. “I will. Thank you for calling me. I…” She clears her throat. “I don’t know what I’d do if…”

“C’mon, T. We gotta get outta here.” Sweet Pea urges and Toni nods.

They load into the truck and drive away, leaving the girls speechless on the asphalt.

* * *

Cheryl comes to slowly, her body and mind so damn sluggish that she can’t quite connect the dots between  _then_ and  _now_. She just remembers feeling weird, Nick smiling at her, and then Toni Topaz carrying her.

God, she missed Toni.

God-

What  _happened_ to her?

Before she knows it, they’re pulling to a stop and it takes her a long moment to register her surroundings as a trailer park.

“Cher? We’re at my place. Can you- can you walk?” Toni asks softly.

Cheryl’s mouth feels like it’s full of lead. She opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out, so she shakes her head.

“Okay.” Toni opens the door and offers her hand. “I’m gonna help you, okay?” Cheryl nods and Toni holds her gently as she guides her out of the truck. Cheryl hears a car door slam and flinches. “Dammit, Sweet Pea.” Toni hisses.

“Sorry! Sorry!” The boy they were in the truck with replies from the other side of the vehicle.

Once she’s on the ground, Cheryl leans heavily into Toni.

“Do you… should I, like, go?” Sweet Pea asks awkwardly.

“You’re the only one with a  _car_. What if she wants to go home?”

The thought of leaving Toni suddenly fills Cheryl with a deep panic so she clutches to the other girl and shakes her head.

“No.” She says quietly.

Toni freezes and looks at her with worry. “Are you- do you want to stay, then?” Cheryl nods. “Are you  _sure_?” She nods again. “Okay… Sweet Pea, would you mind if-”

“Not a problem, Topaz.” He responds. “But I’m gonna linger around the park, just in case. I’ll call you if any cops show up.”

“Thanks, Sweets.”

“Anytime,” he hops back into the truck and Toni carefully leads Cheryl into her trailer.

She helps her to her couch, where the redhead nearly collapses. Toni steadies her into a sitting position as Cheryl’s memory slowly returns.

Reality sinks in.

And Cheryl bursts into tears. Toni immediately sits beside her and wraps an arm around her shoulders. Cheryl curls into her, sobbing into her shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” she sobs.

“For  _what?_ ” Toni asks disbelievingly.

“Making you come so far to help me-” Cheryl hiccups. “When all I should’ve done was stayed with you.”

“Oh my God, Cheryl, none of this is your fault. Please, please don’t  _ever_ blame yourself for this.” Toni holds her a bit tighter.

“I hate feeling so- so  _weak_.”

“You are  _anything_ but weak, Cheryl Blossom. You are a strong-willed, intelligent, beautiful,  _strong_ woman and that’s why I-” Toni stops, swallowing thickly. “That’s why you’re… you.”

Cheryl sniffles, her arms wrapped so tightly around Toni that the Serpent can’t really breathe but that’s okay. Cheryl’s always taken her breath away. They cling to each other like that for what feels like an eternity, until Cheryl isn’t crying anymore. She’s just so damn  _exhausted_ and her eyelids are drooping.

“We can share my bed or I can sleep on the couch. It’s your call, Bombshell.” Toni says gently, pulling back a bit to look at the redhead.

“I want to share.” Cheryl responds immediately. “I don’t… I don’t wanna be alone.”

Toni smiles in understanding. “C’mon, I’ll get you some clothes and we can wash off that makeup.”

Cheryl nods and lets Toni take her hand, entwining their fingers as they make their way to Toni’s room.

Toni treats her like she’s glass when she examines Cheryl, ‘just in case’ and at first Cheryl doesn’t even remember why she hasn’t been going to Vixen’s. Doesn’t think about the way her wrist throbs at certain angles, or the way her knuckles sting whenever she moves her hand. Doesn’t think about the bruise on her hip. But then, when she’s out of her dress, Toni’s soft gasp reminds her.

“Did he do this?” Toni asks, her voice a low growl.

Cheryl shakes her head, forcing a small laugh. “No. It was… it was my mother.”

Toni is fucking  _fuming_. But Cheryl needs her  _here_ and  _now_ and she can find Penelope Blossom and Nick St. Clair another time. This is about  _Cheryl_ , who deserves so much more than any of this.

“What happened?” She asks softly.

Cheryl chokes around a sob. Toni holds her from behind as gently as possible. “She told me I’m- I’m a loveless  _monster_. That I’m- that I’m just like my dad and-” she bites her lower lip. “And everyone is only nice to me when they want something. Veronica, Betty, Archie,  _Nick_. Even….” she stops and Toni moves so she’s standing in front of the redhead.

“Is that why you’ve been avoiding me?” She inquires. Cheryl looks away. “Hey, it’s- Cheryl that’s- that’s not even  _close_ to the truth. The only thing I want from you, is  _you_. The  _real_ you. The you that I spent  _days_ with. The you I saw on a Thursday morning smiling at me and calling me a dork. The you that makes  _me_ smile.” She places her hand on Cheryl’s cheek, guiding her to look at Toni. “You are  _not_  loveless, Cheryl Blossom. Your mother is wrong, and she is cruel and you? You’re  _sensational_.”

Cheryl’s eyes search Toni’s, her bottom lip quivering. “I’m a monster, Toni.” She says quietly and Toni imagines about ten hundred ways she’s going to make Penelope Blossom pay for the damage she’s done to Cheryl.

“You aren’t a monster,” Toni murmurs. “Your mother is wrong. You have a good, loving heart, Cheryl. One that gives and  _gives_ and leaves me  _breathless_. You have a beautiful heart, a beautiful  _mind_. Please,  _please_ don’t think of yourself as a monster.”

Cheryl wraps her arms around Toni’s neck and kisses her. Toni kisses back slowly, her hands settling on her waist. Cheryl kisses her with such neediness, such near desperation, that Toni’s heart  _aches_.

When Cheryl pulls away, she lowers her head to rest on Toni’s shoulder. She’s so fucking scared of how much she’s beginning to care about Toni that she can’t even believe it. How can someone so kind and so genuine care for  _her_? How can she look at Cheryl after this past week with nothing but adoration and something undefinable and tender? How did she ever deserve to know this person?

They get ready for bed in silence, and when they’re finally under Toni’s covers, Cheryl reaches out and pulls Toni close. Toni lets the redhead tangle their legs together and guide her into a little spoon position. She places her arms over Cheryl’s when they come to rest on her stomach.

After a long silence, Cheryl speaks: “Hey, Toni?”

“Yeah, Cher?”

“Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done if you…”

“I’d punch a million rich white boys for you, Cheryl.”

Cheryl snorts. “So romantic.”

Toni turns in the embrace, curling into the taller girl even further. She presses a gentle kiss to Cheryl’s lips.

“Go to sleep, baby.” She whispers gently.

Cheryl’s lips kiss Toni’s forehead, her exhausted body and mind finally catching up when she closes her eyes.

(She is certain that this is it.)

(This is what Jason felt.)

(She’s so fucking in love with Toni Topaz it’s astounding.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> xoxo Gossip Girl  
> lmao jk


	8. Infinite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A soft morning interrupted; a soft morning continued; a trip to Pop's; a text that changes everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the feedback for this is AWESOME.  
> thanks so much everyone! i'm responding to all comments now!

Toni wakes to feel a soft hand grazing over her cheek, down her jaw. It’s such a delicate motion, that at first Toni doesn’t  _want_ to open her eyes. She just sighs through her nose, basks in the touch. **  
**

“I know you’re awake,” a voice murmurs, a warm breath ghosting over her face.

“Mmm, five more minutes,” Toni grumbles and the responding chuckle sends a wave of happiness and warmth through her body.

Fingers slip to the back of her neck, pressing lightly before combing through her probably horribly tangled hair, working through knots with careful focus.

Slowly, Toni peeks open her eye - which has finally healed up nicely, save for a bit of purple and yellowing. Cheryl Blossom is watching her with a smile. A real, genuine smile. A fond one, that makes Toni’s heart melt.

“Hey,” Toni whispers.

“Hey,” Cheryl replies.

Silence. Not awkward or suffocating, just a natural state of quiet that she and Cheryl find comfort in. She lets her gaze flicker over the redhead’s features, taking in the soft, relaxed smile on her lips; the focused pull of her eyebrows whens he finds a particularly stubborn knot in Toni’s hair; the deep wonder swirling behind brown eyes...

“How are you feeling?” Toni asks gently.

Cheryl frowns, her hand slipping between them to rest on the mattress, the knot apparently forgotten. “Stupid, used, and… scared, to be honest.”

Toni wraps her arm around Cheryl’s waist, her other hand coming up to slide under Cheryl’s. She runs her thumb gently over scabbed cuts.

“You never have to be scared around me. I promise, I’ll do everything I can to make sure he gets what’s coming to him.”

Cheryl smiles again, her eyes shining with something Toni can’t quite define but it makes her smile back. “I’m sorry for shutting you out.” Cheryl says quietly. “I just… the things my mother said to me were so, so awful and I…” She looks down at their hands. “I believed her.”

Toni’s heart aches for this girl and she can’t believe how goddamn much Cheryl Blossom means to her. “Hey, she was  _wrong_ about you. You aren’t- you aren’t your  _father_ , Cheryl. You’re Cheryl motherfucking  _Bombshell_ and you are so, so much more than your stupid family.”

Cheryl blushes lightly, and, God, Toni loves her pale skin for giving that away. Brown eyes meet hers. “Toni, I-”

There’s a harsh knock on her door and Toni groans. “Motherfucking… shit.” She grumbles.

Cheryl stiffens. “Is it- do you think it’s-?”

“Don’t worry.” Toni presses a kiss to Cheryl’s forehead. “I’ll be back, I promise.”

Cheryl nods and Toni makes her way down the hall to answer the door before it swings open.

“Topaz, you will not  _fucking_ believe what I just saw.” Sweet Pea exclaims loudly and Toni rolls her eyes.

“Jesus  _Christ_ , Sweet Pea! You fucking scared the shit out of me!” She punches his arm and he winces.

“Sorry! Sorry! But- it’s important and it’s about your girl-  _uh_ , I mean, your  _not_ -girlfriend.” Sweet Pea peers over her shoulder. “Is she okay?”

“She’s fine, Sweets. What happened?”

“Penelope Blossom paid off some suit  _and_ Keller. If you ask me, there’s some kind of fuckery going on.” Sweet Pea runs his hand through his hair. “She was… I mean- it happened separately, of course, but I saw ‘em both.”

“What?”

“The suit came first. I was watching the Blossom house in case she sent Keller after the princess decided to spend the night. Which, by the way, she didn’t even look concerned, so- she seems like a real cunt.”

“Get to the point.”

“Right. So- she pays the suit, right outside her house real late at night. They start arguin’ a bit. Couldn’t hear much, so I got a bit closer. Apparently, they’re both real intent on keeping whatever happened last night on the down-low.”

Anger flares in Toni, but she forces herself to suppress it. “What about Keller?”

“Oh, that was at Pop’s. She slid him a Benjamin and he went on his merry fuckin’ way. Was getting a malt, and couldn’t help but notice the interaction. So I hauled my ass outta there and here I am.”

Toni takes a deep breath. “That fucking bitch.”

“Whaddaya reckon she was payin’ him for?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.” Toni frowns, crossing her arms. “This is a case for-”

“Jughead Jones.” Cheryl’s voice startles her. She looks to the short hallway, where Cheryl leans against the wall with an unreadable expression. “And the Scooby Gang.”

Sweet Pea snorts. “Lookin’ good, Red. How ‘ya holdin’ up?”

Cheryl shrugs. “I’ll survive.”

_Damn fucking right you will_ , Toni thinks, a grin lighting up her face.

Sweet Pea rolls his eyes. “Damn, you’re whipped. Anyway, that’s all I had to say. I’m gonna go grill Jones for info. You two lovebirds can get back to your… morning. Or, afternoon. Or whatever.”

“Wait,” Cheryl crosses the small living room and looks at Sweet Pea with a careful smile. “Thank you. For helping Toni. And me.”

Sweet Pea smirks. “Anytime, princess.” He pauses, his hand on the doorknob. “But if you hurt Toni again, I’m gonna have to bruise up that pretty face, y’know.”

Cheryl scoffs. “I would never.”

Sweet Pea nods, his smirk turning into a smile. “Good. See ‘ya around, Red. Toni.” He nods to the pink-haired girl before slipping out of the trailer, the door slamming behind him.

“Does he just not know how to close and open a door without being so obnoxiously  _loud_?” Cheryl grumbles once he’s gone.

Toni laughs. “No. No he does not.”

* * *

 

They’ve been in Toni’s bed all day. Not having sex, just holding each other and occasionally sharing slow, long kisses. Cheryl likes these lazy kisses the best - even more than the heated ones where they try to overpower each other. It makes her feel breathless in a totally different way, her body tingling all over from her fingertips to her toes.

God, she knows that this is it.

This is  _it_.

Forever is what she feels. Infinity. She wants this -  _all_ of this - for forever. Wants Toni in her arms, wants Toni’s breath against her lips, wants Toni to tell her how beautiful she is, wants to tell Toni how beautiful  _she_ is - she wants and wants and  _wants_  all of it. All of Toni Topaz.

“What are you thinking about?” Toni hums, noticing the redhead’s long silence.

“You,” Cheryl admits shyly. “This.  _Us_.”

Toni leans up on her elbow to look at Cheryl better. “Us?”

Cheryl blushes, looking away for a moment. “Yeah. Us.”

Toni hums again, a thoughtful sound. “Well… what  _about_ us?”

Cheryl turns into her side to face Toni fully. “About how much all of this means to me. How much YOU mean to me.” She pauses. “I’ve… I don’t usually  _do_ friends. People aren’t exactly fond of me, as you are aware-”

“Which is  _ridiculous_ ,” Toni interrupts. “Because you’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met.”

“Don’t interrupt.” Cheryl scolds lightly, still blushing. “I just- you’re so-  _supportive_ and  _patient_ , and I don’t know what the hell I did to deserve someone like you in my life. So-” she looks down at her hand, picking at a loose thread on Toni’s sheets. “Thank you. For being here. For grounding me.” She stops again, takes a deep breath. “So I think… I think I should tell you something. Something that happened at Sweetwater River.”

Toni frowns, listening closely while Cheryl’s hand toys with her sheets. Somewhere outside, a bird is chirping.

“I’ve never been the most… stable person, I’ll admit. But when I found out about JJ, and what daddy did, I-” her voice wavers, she clears her throat. “I think something in me just… stopped working. My heart, maybe. But I felt so, so alone, and so  _empty_. So, I gave Jughead my spider brooch, and I gave Veronica the River Vixens. And I… went to join Jason.”

The silence that ensues is thick and heavy, and she can’t even hear Toni  _breathe_.

“Veronica and the others found me, and Archie broke his hand to punch a hole in the ice and save me.” She bites her lower lip. “For a long time, I wondered why the hell anyone would save me. Especially when Veronica left me alone after. Why did I deserve to keep going? Who decided to  _make_ me keep going? And- and now, I think it was just…” She exhales a shaky breath. “A way to bide time, until you. You are everything I have ever wanted, ever longed for. You make me look at everything in a new light, and suddenly the world seems bright and beautiful and- and I-”

“I love you.” Toni blurts, and Cheryl huffs like she’s annoyed (she’s not).

“You  _interrupted_ me. I wanted to say it first.” She complains, meeting Toni’s gaze.

“Sorry,” Toni grins. “But I couldn’t wait anymore. But you can say it.”

“How nice of you to give me permission,” Cheryl rolls her eyes, a smile pulling at her lips. “But- I love you, Toni Topaz.”

Toni’s lips find hers, and it’s slow and full of emotion and Cheryl finally knows what that damn feeling is and it’s so nice to say it out loud instead of holding it in and squishing it deep down.

“I love you, too, Cheryl Blossom,” Toni murmurs against her lips.

(This, Cheryl thinks, is what makes her heart working again.)

* * *

 

“Alright- we can’t lay around all day,” Toni announces.

Cheryl smiles. “Oh? What do you propose we do, then?”

“Pop’s. You, me, milkshakes, fries - I believe what the kids call a ‘date’.” Toni pauses. “Unless… you don’t feel comfortable calling it that?”

Cheryl rolls her eyes. “Toni, we just confessed our feelings to each other after having sex numerous times. I think a date is manageable.”

“I know you aren’t exactly waving a rainbow flag or anything,” Toni shrugs. “So I wasn’t sure how you’d feel.”

“Well it’s not like we’ll be making out in a booth.”

“Damn, there go my plans.”

“Don’t be a pervert.” Cheryl reprimands, kissing Toni’s cheek. Toni blushes. “I’d love to go on a date with you.”

“Awesome. Great. Date it is, then.”

Neither of them move.

“Toni?”

“Hm?”

“Are we, like, girlfriends now?”

Toni snorts. “Well, I wasn’t sure what else you call someone you’ve been sleeping with, falling in love with, and sharing deep, personal information with.”

Cheryl chuckles. “You know what? Nevermind. I hate you again.”

Toni hooks her leg around Cheryl’s and leans close. “I don’t think you ever did.”

Cheryl pretends to ponder for a moment. She  _hmm’s_ and then shrugs. “I suppose you’re right.”

“I’m always right.”

“Except for that time you followed through with a dare to put graffiti on the wall of the library. Did you seriously think you wouldn’t get caught? You and Sweet Pea giggle like prepubescent boys when you’re being stupid together.”

Toni huffs a laugh. “You got me there.” She cups Cheryl’s cheek, the redhead leaning into her touch. “Of course I’d like to be girlfriends. And I know you aren’t really out and proud, so I’ll do whatever I can to make sure you’re comfortable. We don’t even have to hold hands in the hallway at school if you don’t want to. One step at a time.”

Cheryl kisses her softly, running her fingers through finally untangled hair. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Toni murmurs.

* * *

 

“That’s  _horrible_ ,” Toni says around a laugh and Cheryl giggles.

“Oh, I  _know_. But I  _was_  always the troublemaker between us, and JJ always went along with whatever I asked.” Cheryl’s smile is fond as she speaks of her brother, and Toni wonders if, should Cheryl ever speak about  _her_  to someone else, she shares the same warmth in her voice and light in her eyes. “So, when mommy and daddy saw his knee, they  _demanded_  that I tell them what I did. When Jason had to tell them that it was  _his_  idea to scale the fence, they nearly…”

Kevin Keller is honestly just waiting for his lunch. But, like, how can he  _not_ eavesdrop on Cheryl fucking  _Blossom_  when she’s splitting a strawberry shake with  _Toni Topaz_. That right there is definitely something worthy of noticing, and maybe he  _is_ being nosy, but how could he possibly resist?

Especially when they’re making googly eyes at each other. He fucking called it from the beginning. But - shit, he can’t just  _out_ their relationship just to tell Veronica he told her so. It would go against every gay code, and he is nothing if not a just and fair fellow gay.

So, he grabs his takeout and approaches the girls with a wide grin.

“Am I witnessing an official Choni date?” He asks.

Cheryl’s cheeks are red immediately and Toni’s lips twitch to hide a smile.

“Hey, Kevin,” she greets.

“So. What’s the tea, ladies?” He scoots in next to Cheryl, who lets out a quiet grunt of annoyance.

“Not  _tea_.” Cheryl mutters. “Just-”

“A shake between two girls-” Toni interrupts, trying to cover up their totally obvious date.

“-who, uh, are really, um-”

“Geez, okay, relax,” Kevin snorts. “I’m not gonna out you guys. That’s seriously messed up.  _However_ , as Riverdale High’s self-proclaimed gossip hound, I’d like you both to know that you’re both really bad at lying; also, I’m glad you’re both together.” He stands back up. “Enjoy your not-date, ladies.” With that, he leaves, and Cheryl lets out a quiet laugh.

“‘Choni’?” Cheryl huffs. “That name isn’t very clever.”

“Blopaz.” Toni hums.

“No. That sounds dirty.” Cheryl dismisses, sipping their milkshake.

“Cheroni?”

“Okay. Choni it is. You’re terrible at this.”

Toni quirks an eyebrow. “Yeah? What would  _you_ call us?”

Cheryl leans her elbows on the table, fluttering her eyelashes. “Sensational.”

Toni grins. “Smooth, Blossom. Real smooth.”

(Toni is so goddamn head over heels for this woman, it’s unbe-freakin-lievable.)

Her phone buzzes in her pocket. She checks it with a frown.

**Sweet Pea  
 _jug says nick st. clair is asking for you at whyte wyrm  
im guessing that’s the rich boy you punched?_**

Toni’s stomach drops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry if it seems a bit weak??? i'm writing a choni oneshot that's cheryl-focused (because, uh, in case y'all couldn't notice, clearly i'm better at writing cheryl than everyone else; i just.... get the mindset, i guess?? idk how to explain it but i just connect hella with cheryl and can tap into her thoughts and emotions better) so i'm like....... just tryna keep the fics separate lmao


	9. Hell Hath No Fury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick is a piece of shit; So is Penelope; Sweet Pea has a serious discussion with Jughead; Toni and Cheryl are in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anyway i have to wait until tomorrow to be able to watch tonight's episode but bish still gonna be hunting for spoilers

“You have a  _lot_ of nerve coming here,” Sweet Pea growls. As soon as Jughead texted him, he’d rushed over to the Wyrm. Some stupid suit-wearing asshole was standing there, and Sweet Pea immediately knew who it was. **  
**

“Where’s your pink-haired guard dog?” The boy says and Sweet Pea’s jaw clenches. Jughead, naturally, moves to stand beside Sweet Pea. The bar is quiet, its patrons pausing at the sudden tension between their fellow Serpents.

“Oh, she’s on her way, you can bet fucking money on that.” Sweet Pea cracks his knuckles. “Lemme guess: you came for a round two?”

Nick rolls his eyes. “No, I came to tell her my father and I are more than prepared to sue for the damage she’s done.” His nose is purple, swollen, and bandaged. There are bruises under both his eyes.  _Good_ , Sweet Pea thinks,  _it’s probably an improvement._

“What happened?” Jughead whispers and Sweet Pea rolls his eyes.

“Toni’s girlfriend got drugged by this guy,” he hisses and Nick snorts.

“Cheryl? She was drunk. And probably high.”

“ _You_ were with her, and  _you_ drugged her, you complete-”

“Fucking asshole.” Toni storms into the bar, Cheryl at her heels with a protest at her lips that quickly dies as soon as she sees who’s standing there. She stiffens, and Toni stands rigid with anger. “You have the fucking  _audacity_ to show your face around here after what you did? You can’t seriously be  _that_ stupid.”

Nick looks at Cheryl and grins. “Sharon! How are you?”

“Are you- are you serious?” Cheryl scoffs. “You  _roofied_  me and tried to  _rape_ me.”

“Really?” Nick’s face scrunches into one of confusion. “That’s not what  _I_ remember. You were drunk and begging for it.”

Toni snaps forward, but Sweet Pea catches her arm and pulls her back before she can hit Nick again. She struggles in his grasp.

“So easily provoked,” Nick muses, still grinning. “ _And_ in a gang? Wow, it’ll be  _real_ easy to sue you for everything you’ve got.” He looks around. “Which I assume isn’t much, but it’ll be satisfying nonetheless.”

“You subzero monster,” Cheryl moves to be closer to Toni, Sweet Pea, and Jughead. “If you think it’ll be easy to press charges on  _her_ , just think about how easy it’ll be to press charges on  _you_.”

Nick laughs, and Cheryl’s stomach churns. “Oh, sweetie, you didn’t hear about our parents’ deal? You were a birthday present.  _My_ birthday present. Your whore mother pawned you off like a cheap bike.” He snickers. “At least we got our money back - and then some.”

Cheryl’s entire body freezes, her breath catching and something hard and painful swelling in her throat.

Toni tries to rip away from Sweet Pea to lunge for Nick, but he keeps his grip on her firmly. Nick steps away from her, still  _fucking_ grinning.

“Ah-ah, don’t forget who you’re messing with. I can  _buy your life,_ you truck stop tramp.”

“Toni,” Jughead’s voice is strained. “He’s right. Punching him will only do more harm to yourself.”

“I don’t fucking  _care_ , Jones.” Toni spits.

“It’ll hurt  _Cheryl_ , too,” Jughead says, softer, and Toni pauses in her struggling.

Nick eyes the redhead, and then Toni, and snorts. “Should’ve pegged you for a dyke. I wish I was surprised. But, hey, what can you do when you’re a cheap harlet’s psychopathic daughter?” He moves for the exit.

The room is so silent, you could hear a pin drop. The adults are now tense, ready for a fight or to step in if requested. (They’re not  _monsters_. They won’t beat up some teenage douchebag unless things got  _real_ messy.)

“Ciao,” he says before slipping out of the bar.

Toni, having nothing better to do, kicks over a nearby chair and yanks herself out of Sweet Pea’s grasp.

“I could fucking strangle that guy. Oh my fucking  _God_.” She snarls and the room returns to a quiet murmur.

“Toni-” Jughead starts but Toni’s never been so good at settling down once she’s fired up. So she paces aggressively, deciding to save the furniture she’d probably have to pay for if she broke.

“He must eat his own ass for breakfast lunch and dinner with how far up his head is-”

“ _Toni_.” Jughead’s tone is serious and stern and it makes her stop in her tracks. “Cheryl.”

Toni looks at Cheryl, who is no longer quite as frozen. She’s starting to tremble, tears spilling from her eyes.

“Oh, God, Cheryl,” Toni immediately wraps her in her arms and holds her close.

“Her own fuckin’ mother,” Sweet Pea mutters to Jughead. “Unbe-fucking-lievable.”

“Not now, Sweet Pea,” Jughead says quietly.

“We need to find that guy and make him-”

“It’ll make things  _worse_.” Jughead argues, shaking his head.

Cheryl feels like the world is closing in, and the only thing keeping her grounded is Toni’s arms around her. Her mother-  _sold her bodey_  like- like she was just a toy to be used and tossed aside. She can’t fucking-

God-

Oh, God-

She buries her face into Toni’s neck and sobs, not caring that they’re in public or that they’re in a  _bar_ of all places. She can’t stop crying and she can’t fucking breathe and-

And-

“I’ll make her pay,” Toni murmurs, holding her tightly. “I promise, baby. I’ll make her pay.”

“Take her to the back, Toni,” Jughead says softly.

Toni nods, and guides the redhead into the back room and onto the beaten up leather couch.

“I- uh, ignore the bongs. That’s, um-” Toni has never brought Cheryl here before, or any girl for that matter, so she feels a bit thrown for a loop. She just settles for silence as she and Cheryl curl into the sofa, letting her girlfriend cry into her until she’s just shaking in her arms.

“I can’t believe this is happening to me,” Cheryl whimpers. She feels like she’s said that too many times for her seventeen years of life. It makes her stomach clench. God- she can’t  _believe_ this is happening to her.

Toni combs her fingers through Cheryl’s hair. Cheryl loves that feeling, she knows, and it’s really all she can do to help her calm down. Toni’s mind is racing, too, but she shoves her fury away to the back of her thoughts and just focuses on holding her girlfriend.

It’s starting to feel like they’re always taking a step forward and two steps back.

“Stay at mine,” Toni murmurs. “I don’t want you back in that house…”

“I have to confront her,” Cheryl whispers. “I can’t just- and who knows what she’ll-?”

“Then let me be there with you.” Toni squeezes Cheryl tighter. “I’m not going to let her hurt you again. Fucking Christ, she was willing to  _sell your body_. She isn’t going to lay a goddamn finger on you.”

“You’re going to threaten my  _mother_?” Cheryl scoffs. “Toni… she already took someone away from me once. I don’t… I don’t want to lose you, too.”

“I have the Serpents,” Toni’s fingers pause in Cheryl’s hair. “I promise, I’ll do everything I can to keep you safe. To keep your mother from doing any more damage than she already has.”

“And if you can’t do that? If my mother - and Nick - manage to take you from me?”

“Then I’ll make damn sure the Serpents will take my place and keep you safe.” It’s a heavy promise, and though Cheryl isn’t quite familiar with the Serpents’ customs, she knows this. She knows what it can mean, what it could lead to.

She closes her eyes, and focuses on the girl holding her. The girl who would risk anything to make Cheryl feel safe and loved and though Cheryl still doesn’t think she deserves this woman she can’t ever begin to express how grateful her mere presence is. Toni is the most precious thing in her life, and she’s willing to risk it all to keep what they have.

“I love you,” Cheryl says into Toni’s shoulder, and Toni presses a kiss to her forehead.

“I love you, too,” she murmurs.

They’ll get through this. She knows they will.

Because, goddammit, Cheryl Blossom is worth fighting for.

* * *

 

“Violence isn’t the answer,” Jughead argues quietly, trying not to make a scene with Toni and Cheryl in the backroom and the bar returning to its low cacophony.

“We have to do  _something_ ,” Sweet Pea hisses. “You know how much Cheryl means to Toni.”

“Cheryl isn’t a Serpent.” Jughead shakes his head, leaning back against the bar and crossing his arms. “We shouldn’t get-”

“Is that hat squeezing your head too tight, Jones? Or did you forget that a Serpent never stands alone?” Sweet Pea is getting riled again; Jughead can almost taste his anger. “Toni is alone in this with Cheryl and I’m sure as fuck not gonna stand by while she gets involved in Blossom business.”

“That’s  _exactly_ the problem. It’s  _Blossom business_. Not ours. I know she’s your best friend-”

“She’s  _your_ friend, too!” Sweet Pea snaps. “We’re a  _family_.  _Toni_ is our family. Clearly, Cheryl is her family too.”

Jughead sighs, looking away with a frown on his features. He’s thinking; Sweet Pea can practically  _see_ the gears turning in that head of his.

“You know how she is,” Sweet Pea says, forcing his voice to be gentler. “She’s  _never_ gotten hooked on someone like this. Not even one of us. Don’t you remember how she felt about you and Betty?”

Jughead stiffens. “And that’s another problem. She kept telling me that Betty and I were doomed and because of that, Betty felt the need to join the damn Serpents.”

“That was Betty’s choice.” Sweet Pea scoffs. “Not Toni’s. She was against it from the start, and you know it.”

“Then she’s being a hypocrite.”

“Maybe,” Sweet Pea shrugs. “But I’ve known her my whole life, Jug. What she and Cheryl have is… different. Different from anyone else I’ve ever seen her with.” He pauses. “And maybe Cheryl needs more than Toni. Maybe Cheryl needs  _us_.”

Jughead turns back to Sweet Pea. “Are you suggesting she becomes a  _Serpent_?”

“I’m saying that she needs a family. A real one.”

“You hate the Blossoms.”

“For good reason, clearly.”

“Regardless,” Jughead uncrosses his arms. “Toni wouldn’t want her to do that.”

Sweet Pea runs a hand through his hair. “Well, the least we can do is stand by Toni’s side in this. If she’s going to do something stupid against Penelope Blossom, then we need to be there for her. A Serpent never stands alone.”

With a heavy sigh, Jughead relents and nods. “Okay. Okay, fine. You’re right.” He inhales slowly. “We’ll make sure Penelope knows exactly what she’s dealing with.”

* * *

 

Cheryl crosses one leg over the other, watching the trio of leather-clad boys file into the small trailer. Toni’s hand holds hers in her lap, her thumbs running over Cheryl’s knuckles soothingly.

Cheryl knows these people are Toni’s friends - her  _family_ \- but sometimes she remembers that there were Serpents who helped hide her brother’s corpse and sometimes she can’t help but feel uneasy around them. And she knows that these ones in particular had nothing to do with it - that one of the Serpents was dead, the other missing. But still.

“You okay?” Toni asks her softly, and she nods mutely. Toni kisses her cheek, lingering to whisper, “Don’t worry, you’re safe here.” And Cheryl’s anxiety melts away.

Jughead is the last to enter after Fangs and Sweet Pea, settling on the old beat up armchair while Sweet Pea plops down on Toni’s other side and Fangs pulls out one of the wooden dining chairs.

“What’s the emergency you guys wanted to talk about?” Fangs asks, eyeing Cheryl and Toni questioningly.

“Cheryl’s mother.” Toni says flatly.

“More specifically - how she’s been making deals all around town to hide the fact that she’s not only an actual prostitute but also tried to pawn off Cheryl’s body like she’s a used  _toy_.” Sweet Pea growls.

“Since when do we care about the Blossoms?” Fangs looks at Cheryl. “No offence, princess, but last time I checked you hated us and wanted us out of your school.”

“Things change,” Cheryl mutters, holding Toni’s hand a bit tighter.

“Clearly.” Fangs looks to Toni with a raised brow. “When did this happen?”

“Does it matter?” Toni tries not to sound so defensive. (She fails.)

“What is the First Law?” Jughead asks, his voice hard.

Fangs scoffs, turning to Jughead. “C’mon, Jug, you know she isn’t a Serpent.”

“Toni  _is_ ,” Sweet Pea argues. “And that means we need to stand at her back.”

“Thanks, Sweets,” Toni smiles at him.

“Okay,” Fangs sighs. “Alright, I know. But do you guys know what we’re about to get ourselves into? Jughead, do you really think your dad will want us-”

“He doesn’t know.” Jughead deadpans. “But he doesn’t  _need_ to. Not yet, at least.”

The thought of FP getting involved makes Cheryl uneasy. She leans a bit more into Toni, who moves her other hand to cover Cheryl’s, her thumb sliding over her wrist.

“You want to go behind FP’s back?” Fangs snorts. “C’mon, dude, you can’t seriously think we can do this without him.”

“We aren’t going behind his back.” Jughead argues. “We’re just… helping Toni and her girlfriend. For now. But if things get too messy-”

“Which they  _will_ because when have the Blossoms ever gone down quietly?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Sweet Pea cracks his knuckles. (Cheryl wrinkles her nose at the sound. God, is that boy always so  _noisy_?)

“Sweet Pea and I have already agreed to help,” Jughead’s tone is grim. “If this was about, say, Kevin or someone you were with,” Fangs stiffens at the name, “wouldn’t you want us to get involved?”

There’s a tense silence. Toni looks between Jughead and Sweet Pea in surprise, then watches Fangs as he clenches and unclenches his jaw. 

Cheryl is shocked that Jughead of all people would want to help her simply because of Toni. Sweet Pea, especially. She knows how he feels about her, and she knows Fangs probably has a similar distaste for her if not moreso.

_We’re not just a gang. We’re a family._

Toni’s words ring true in her ears. She’s never known family like that. Family was always secrets behind closed doors; drug dealings underground; mysterious murders; silent tears… but here are these three guys willing to face her demonic mother just because Toni wants to protect Cheryl.

She realizes, with a jolt, that this is the family she wants.

Toni’s family.  _Toni_. She wants to be a part of it all.

(But now is not the time, she knows. The time will come. For now, all she can do is hold Toni’s hand, and hope.)

“Alright.” Fangs relents. “Alright. What do you guys have in mind?”

Toni and Cheryl release a breath they didn’t know they were holding.

* * *

 

Toni wakes to soft, red hair in her face and her body curled against a taller one. Cold feet are trapped between hers, and a smile pulls at her lips. (Cheryl’s feet are always so cold. It’s a small detail that Toni loves.) (She loves all the details; big and small.)

Cheryl has several inches on her, but in Toni’s arms, she feels so small. And, God, Toni wants nothing more than to stay in this bed and keep Cheryl away from the rest of the world. It’s selfish, she knows, but she doesn’t care. She wants Cheryl all to herself, every day, for the rest of forever.

She sighs, pressing closer to the redhead.

Sweet Pea had left last, and while Cheryl got ready for bed, Toni approached him and lowered her voice.

_“Thank you, Sweets. You didn’t have to go and get Jug and Fangs involved.”_

_“Of course I did, T.” Sweet Pea whispered. “I can see how much she means to you.”_

_“You’re a real sap,” Toni punched his arm lightly. “But thank you. You’re the best.”_

_“S’what I’m here for.” He paused at the door. “Y’know, that girl’d make one hell of a Serpent.”_

_Toni opened her mouth, ready to object, when he cut her off._

_“I know, I know. You don’t want her involved. She’s got enough on her as it is. I get it.” He stepped out, still eyeing the pink-haired girl. “But- I’m just saying. Down the line, you know there’ll be a time when she’s gonna realize what she needs to do.”_

She sighs again. He’s right. She  _knows_ he is. But, dammit, she doesn’t  _want_ that for Cheryl. She’d joined out of necessity, out of family. Cheryl could have any life she wants. She’s practically got a maple syrup empire over her head, ready to fall into her hands when she turns eighteen. The last thing she needs is to bring more crime into that.

But-

Cheryl also needs  _this_. Needs to experience an actual loving group of people rather than the cold upbringing she’d experienced.

But not now. God, not now. She wants Cheryl all to herself right now.

The redhead turns over, her nose touching the tip of Toni’s, and brown eyes open to meet her own.

“Hey,” Cheryl murmurs, voice soft and groggy with sleep.

“Hey.” Toni smiles. “How do you feel?”

“In love.” Cheryl answers and Toni kisses her gingerly.

Cheryl’s arms wrap around Toni, pulling her even closer. Their legs tangle together, Cheryl kissing Toni passionately as her fingers run along Toni’s back.

“Let’s take a shower,” she murmurs against Toni’s lips.

Toni shivers. “Babe, you  _know_ how small my shower is.”

“Guess we’ll have to get close, then,” Cheryl purrs and Toni bites her lip with a smirk.

“Damn. What ever will we do?” Toni hums.

Cheryl slides away from her with a grin, her hips swaying as she disappears into the hallway.

Toni, still smirking, shakes her head lightly and stands as well, following the redhead.

Cheryl is already behind the curtain, and Toni eagerly strips herself before slipping in and kissing Cheryl with a hum. Cheryl’s arms wrap around her again, warm water raining over their bodies.

“I love you,” Cheryl whispers, like a secret meant to be kept between them. Her lips move to Toni’s neck, maneuvering them so that Toni is pressed to the cold wall of the shower.

Her hands run over Toni’s sides, memorizing every curve and scar, tracing the serpent on her ribcage. She kisses lower, dragging her lips across Toni’s collarbone. Toni lets out a quiet mewl when Cheryl’s tongue traces the hollow of her neck.

When she kisses the tattoo, Cheryl murmurs “I love you” and Toni’s heart soars.

“Baby,” she brushes a strand of red hair from Cheryl’s face. Their eyes lock, and Toni smiles.

“Can I-?” Cheryl asks softly and Toni leans down to press a kiss to her forehead.

“Of course,” she replies. (Cheryl knows she doesn’t have to ask. But after…)

She guides Toni’s leg to rest on her shoulder, her knees pressing to the cold floor. Her eyes never leave Toni’s. Toni sighs when her tongue runs over her folds, her right hand moving to the wall to balance herself.

Cheryl’s hand holds Toni’s thigh while her tongue circles Toni’s clit, pulling a groan from the other girl. Her free hand scratches lightly up and down Toni’s side, and Toni shudders.

“Right there, baby-” she gasps, Cheryl’s tongue dipping inside her entrance. “Fuck-”

Cheryl watches the girl unfurl beneath her touch, feeling so full of love that it almost aches. But it’s a good ache. It’s one that makes her want to pull every sound from Toni possible. To make Toni feel as full of love as she does. To make Toni feel how much she means to Cheryl. And, God, she means  _so much_.

She flicks against Toni’s clit, sucking gently. Toni’s hips twitch, and Cheryl hums into her. Toni whimpers, the hand not clinging to the wall moving to Cheryl’s head and brushing red hair out of her face to look into Toni’s eyes.

Fingers prod at her, running through her soaked folds. She shudders with a gasp when they slip inside, clutching at Cheryl’s hair.

“Fuck-” she gasps. “Right there.”

Cheryl curls her fingers, pressing into Toni’s spot as she sucks gently at her clit. Toni’s hips twitch with each pump of Cheryl’s fingers, moans spilling from her lips uncontrollably.

Cheryl feels velvety walls pulsing around her fingers, and with a final thrust, Toni comes undone and mewls her name. It’s fucking  _music_ to her ears.

When Toni stops shaking through aftershocks, Cheryl pulls away and lowers Toni’s leg to the ground. She kisses back up Toni’s body, the water running through her hair.

“I love you,” Toni breathes, kissing Cheryl sweetly. “So much.”

“And I love you,” Cheryl grins.  _So much._  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~kudos and comments are amazing! you guys are all amazing! thank you so much for the feedback!!! love you~
> 
> (follow me at pinkbunny-imagines on tumblr!)


	10. Bullet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cheryl and Toni are GOALS.  
> Them bois; Cheryl stands up to Penelope; Cheryl is offered something she's never even considered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> v short but  
> the next chap is lengthy  
> also @ the person who called this fic the choni bible / myself choni jesus thank u lmfao i actually died

“You sure you’re okay?” Toni asks, voice quiet as the motorcycle’s rumble dies. “I mean- don’t get me wrong, I’d totally drape us in a pink blue and purple flag but you aren’t exactly out and proud or anything and-” **  
**

“Toni,” Cheryl takes off the helmet and smooths her hair down. “My mother literally tried to prostitute me off to a rich piece of trash from New York. I think I can handle holding hands during school.”

Toni smirks, taking off her helmet as well before dismounting the bike smoothly. Cheryl follows suit, and Toni can’t believe how proud she feels for this woman right now. (Not only for wanting to hold her hand in public despite the looks she’s sure they’ll get, but also for putting on a brave face and also being able to get off the bike without teetering.)

She leans over and takes Cheryl’s hand, pressing a kiss to her cheek. Cheryl blushes.

“What was that for?” The redhead asks.

 

* * *

“You’re just… doing so well, babe.” Toni’s smirk stretches into a grin. “And I love you.”

Cheryl’s lips curl into a smile, hand squeezing Toni’s lightly. “I love you, too.”

“Ugh,” Sweet Pea’s voice pulls them from the moment. “You guys are making me sick. You’re worse than Jughead and Betty.”

Toni rolls her eyes and Cheryl scoffs, offended.

“Um, excuse me, we are a  _million_ times better than…  _eugh_ , Bughead.” She wrinkles her nose. “What kind of fucking ship name is that?”

Toni snorts. “Choni for the win.”

“Whatever,” Sweet Pea adjusts his jacket. “You guys ready for later?”

“I was born ready,” Cheryl says immediately and Toni chuckles.

“She’s a firecracker, ain’t she?” Sweet Pea teases and Toni kisses Cheryl’s cheek again.

“She’s something.”

“Right here, thank you,” Cheryl huffs, pretending to be annoyed but she’s grinning so wide and she can’t possibly keep that angry scowl.

“Alright, alright, let’s go before Jones comes searching for us.” Sweet Pea starts walking ahead of them, and Toni looks at Cheryl.

“You sure you’re okay?” She murmurs and Cheryl nods.

“I’m Cheryl Bombshell. If they have anything to say, I’ll-”

“Tear ‘em a new one. That’s my girl.”

They head for the entrance of the school; some students in the parking lot are already eyeing them strangely. Cheryl finds herself not really caring, as she certainly would have weeks ago. Because she knows nothing can hurt her here. These imbeciles are nothing if not predictable, and she knows how to cut through them with just a glare. They’re nothing to her.

Toni, on the other hand, knows that deep down, Cheryl is much more nervous than she’s letting on. She can feel it in the way Cheryl’s palm seems to become clammy as they reach the giant doors. So she squeezes Cheryl’s hand, gives her a gentle smile, and they step into the school together.

 

* * *

“So,” Kevin drawls, sauntering up to Toni in their shared math class. “You and Cheryl-”

“Nope. Not gonna spill.” She deadpans and he groans dramatically.

“Come  _on_ ,” he whines. “I’m DYING over here.”

Toni hums thoughtfully, looks around the classroom for a moment, then meets his gaze. “Then perish.”

He sighs. “You’re cruel.”

“And  _you’re_ nosy.”

“It’s my  _job_ ,” he says, flopping into his own desk behind Betty Cooper.

“What’s your job?” The blonde asks curiously.

“To know all the dirty gay secrets in Riverdale,” he mutters.

“Oh?” Betty squirms in her desk seat and Toni quirks an eyebrow.  _Interesting_. “Like?”

“Oh, no, I’m not outing  _anybody_. Even to you, Nancy Drew.”

“You literally outed M-”

“Don’t say his name.”

“Mmm-ohh-kay. Moving on, then.” She looks at Toni with a grin. “Hey, Toni, do you think you could come to the Blue and Gold meeting today? Jughead is backing out, and-”

“Sorry, blondie,” Toni sighs. “We got business to take care of.”

Betty frowns. “ _Business_?”

“It’s… personal. Don’t take it any way, Betty,” Toni leans forward, lowering her voice. “It’s nothing too serious.”

Betty relaxes slightly, but nods with a sigh. “Just me, myself and I, then.”

“Next time,” Toni leans back. “Promise.”

 

* * *

Of all things to hear on a Monday afternoon, a gaggle of roaring motorcycles coming up her driveway is not one that Penelope would expect. At all.

Cheryl has been holding Toni so tightly that twice Toni had to tell her to ease up her grip a bit. After the third time it happens, Toni just accepts the defeat and decides oxygen probably isn’t that important anyway.

When she, Jughead, Sweet Pea, and Fangs all turn their bikes off, she pauses to look at Cheryl.

“Ready?” She asks softly.

Cheryl gives a curt nod, and takes the lead towards Thistle House.

“Nice place,” Sweet Pea comments with a whistle.

“Very… Gothic. Are you a vampire or something?” Fangs snorts and Jughead rolls his eyes.

Cheryl opens the door, and Toni is right at her side when Penelope storms towards them.

“Mother,” Cheryl says, tone even and cold. “I’d like to have a word.”

The door shuts behind Jughead. Penelope eyes the teenagers angrily, but follows them into one of the sitting rooms.

“It’s time for honesty.” Cheryl says flatly, sitting down primly on one of the couches. The boys stand near the entrance of the room, tense and silent. Toni moves to sit beside Cheryl, watching Penelope with narrowed eyes as the older woman sits across from them on the loveseat. “If you have anything to confess, tell me right now, before I start casting stones.”

Penelope scoffs. “I don’t know what all the theatrics are for, Cheryl. Honestly.” She eyes Jughead, Sweet Pea, and Fangs. “Bringing these GANGSTERS into our home. And to what end?”

“No? Nothing to admit?” Cheryl inhales sharply, a grin plastering onto her lips. “Okay. Let’s start from the beginning, then. One, you knew that daddy killed JJ. And you were willing to sweep that under the rug.”

“You have no proof-”

Cheryl holds up a finger. “Oh no, I’m not finished. Two, you have never, EVER put me first, no matter what. You’ve kept secrets - HUGE and important secrets - from me since I was a child. Three, you’re an ESCORT for ‘lonely men in Riverdale’ and you think I’M the embarrassment. Four-”

“That’s enough, Cheryl.” Penelope’s jaw is set, her eyes zeroed in on her daughter and her hands closing into fists.

“You have  _destroyed_ my self value from birth. When I got onto the honor roll, you didn’t bat an eye. When I earned a 4.0 GPA, you weren’t impressed. When I became captain of the River Vixens, you told me I was wasting my time. You destroyed everything I have ever cared about, and-”

“I said, that’s  _enough._.”

“And finally, the cherry on top of this big, beautiful cake of self-hatred,” Cheryl lets out a sarcastic laugh, and Toni watches her with a worried expression. “You sold my body to Nick St. Clair. You decided fucking me over emotionally wasn’t enough. Oh no, you decided breaking me would turn me into the quiet daughter you and daddy wanted. But I refuse to be that. I’m not a little girl, whining for your attention. I have a  _vioice_.”

Penelope stands abruptly, and Cheryl fights the instinct to flinch. “I said, that’s  _enough_ , Cheryl. I did what I had to.”

“What you had to?” Cheryl scoffs. “Jesus Christ, have you even been listening? You tried to  _sell my body_. Like I’m- God, like I’m not even a  _person_.” Cheryl stands, and Toni follows suit, lingering just a breath behind Cheryl as the redhead approaches her mother. “I’m through with being your doll, mother. I’m through letting you control me, and I’m through with allowing myself to believe you for even a second.”

Toni turns to her fellow Serpents. They’re watching the exchange with wide eyes, entirely absorbed by it. Toni returns her gaze to Cheryl, searching for any signs of distress in the redhead’s posture. She’s stiff as a board, her shoulders squared as she stands inches away from her mother.

“You aren’t going to lay a finger on me. You aren’t going to pull this little stunt again. Because, as far as I’m concerned, you are no longer my mother beyond blood relation. As soon as I turn eighteen, I’m out of this fucking house.”

Penelope laughs then, a cold sound that sends a shiver along Toni’s spine. “Are you finished, dear? Have you had your fill? You are a thankless, ungrateful, spite-filled child.” She crosses her arms. “I’ve been providing for you for your entire life. That check would have given you a future. A  _bright_ future.”

“At the cost of being fucking raped?” Toni speaks up, her voice disbelieving and angry. “Oh my God, are you fucking insane?”

“Nobody told you to speak.” Penelope snaps and Cheryl moves even closer to her, causing her to back up a step.

“If you so much as look at me the wrong way,” Cheryl warns, voice low, “you’re going to have an entire gang on your ass. I’ve tried playing nice, mother, but I’m done with this tiring game. I’m with Toni. I’m in  _love_ with her. She’s the only person who has ever really, truly cared about me and if you think you can keep this- this twisted fucking mindset, she - and the Serpents - will cut you down. Got it?”

She hears the shuffling of jackets, but doesn’t dare turn her gaze away from her mother’s. Penelope swallows thickly.

“Fine.” She says. “You want nothing more to do with me? Fine. Get out.”

“I-” Cheryl falters. “What?”

“Get. Out.” Penelope’s eyes burn with something toxic and frightening. “You can keep your disgusting relationship, but you are no longer welcome in this house. I’ve done nothing but protect you. If you think this Southside scum is worth more than your own mother? Fine. I won’t stop you. But know this,” Penelope leans in close, “when she leaves you like everyone else, don’t expect me to come to your rescue. When you’re broken and alone, I won’t be there to protect you from the world. Now take your hideous guard dogs, and  _get out_.”

Cheryl feels her throat swell with emotion, but she pushes it down as far as possible, and just laughs. “God, you really are a fucking monster. You know that?”

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Penelope brushes past Cheryl, shoves the boys aside, and pauses. “I want you gone before I return. I can’t stand to see your pathetic face.” Her heels clack away, and Cheryl hears the front door slam shut.

Cheryl stands, rigid, and stares where her mother once stood. She numbly feels Toni’s fingers tug gently at her own.

“Cher,” Toni whispers. “Cheryl…”

“I’m fine.” Cheryl takes a deep breath. “I’m… fine, Toni.”

“I’ll get my truck.” Sweet Pea mutters. “Give you guys some, um, time to… uh….”

“I’ll follow the bitch,” Fangs cracks his knuckles. “I have a feeling this ain’t the end of this dramatic tale.” He grunts when Jughead elbows him.

“C’mon,” Jughead turns away. “We’ll be back soon.”

Toni nods silently, and listens to their footsteps fade before the door shuts.

And then Cheryl chokes back a sob, and turns to hold onto Toni. The shorter girl wraps her arms around her, holding her tight as her body shakes.

“It’s over,” Cheryl sniffles. “It’s over I- she can’t-”

“Breathe, Cheryl,” Toni murmurs.

Cheryl closes her eyes, breathes in slowly, takes in Toni’s scent and feels her whole body fill with relief. She’s free. Her mother doesn’t want her anymore, but that’s-

That’s good.

She doesn’t have to live in fear anymore.

She’s  _free_.

 

* * *

She isn’t really sure how it happens. It just kind of does. Sweet Pea is squished on the only chair and Cheryl and Toni are laying on the sofa, Cheryl’s Netflix account officially hooked up to the TV that was once in her room. (Her mother told her to pack, didn’t she? She only took the essentials. Jughead, naturally, complained the whole time but actually made himself useful so she can’t diss him too much.)

She laughs at Sweet Pea’s occasional commentary, and stretches her legs lazily when she and Toni lay on their sides. Toni is so short. Cheryl thinks it’s adorable in every goddamn way.

The movie ends, and Toni sighs.

“It’s getting late, Pea. We have school tomorrow.”

“I can take a hint,” Sweet Pea snorts, standing slowly. “You just want me out so you and your girl can have disgustingly domestic sex.”

“I’d kick your ass if I wasn’t so comfortable right now.” Toni yawns.

“You can’t even reach my ass, Hobbit.”

Cheryl giggles. “I call her that all the time.”

“Wow, make fun of the short one. I see how it is.” Toni slips away from Cheryl and the redhead pouts.

“Excuse me, but get the fuck back over here and let me smother you in affection you bitch.” Cheryl huffs.

Toni snorts. “I’m brushing my teeth.”

“You’ll just get your mouth dirty again when you-”

“O-kay, I’ve overstayed my welcome.” Sweet Pea trudges to the door and Toni cackles as she disappears into the bathroom. Sweet Pea eyes Cheryl silently. “Y’know, Blossom? You’d make a real good Serpent one day.”

Cheryl scoffs. “Toni would never let me join.”

He shrugs. “I’m sure she’d realize you belong with us.”

Cheryl blushes. “You really think I could?”

He grins. “Hell yeah, Cherrybomb. I’ll see you tomorrow.” With this, he leaves (slamming the door again) and not long after, Toni emerges from the bathroom.

“Bed?” She asks and Cheryl nods, a smile on her lips.

A Serpent. Huh. She’d never even thought…

 

* * *

Toni’s body is half on top of hers, bare skin touching bare skin as the shorter girl sleeps soundly in her arms. Her breath is steady, puffs of air ghosting along Cheryl’s skin. She traces mindless patterns into Toni’s arm with her index finger. Hearts, stars, swirls.

A Serpent.

Months ago, the mere thought would have heads rolling. But now? Now she isn’t so sure. She’s been through hell, sure, but Toni’s told her enough horror stories that she knows - she  _knows_ \- what this means. What it would mean.

Because Toni would risk her life for Cheryl. She’s had other Serpents protect her. Cheryl has nobody besides Toni, and what happens if that lifestyle catches up to her and Cheryl isn’t there? She isn’t family by blood. They aren’t  _married_. She knows the customs well enough to understand that, as far as Cheryl was concerned, that protection only stemmed so far - no matter how much Toni swears the Serpents will be there for Cheryl.

If she joined, she’d be giving her life to these people. She would have to be willing to risk it all or die trying.

The thought isn’t nearly as scary as she thought it would be.

She presses a kiss to Toni’s forehead, and feels her stir a bit before snuggling further into Cheryl. She smiles softly to herself. She loves Toni. Loves everything about her. So, she decides, when the time comes, she knows her choice. (She isn’t Betty; she won’t spend forever pining over someone who has their own commitment. She’ll do anything for Toni. This- this is the least she can do.)

When the time comes, she’s going to accept that damned jacket and wear it proudly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> posting some  
> -REAL- good choni shit soon ;p  
> because the world needs more choni and i will not stop til i magically get a contract to write for riverdale or a similar tv show dammit lmao


	11. Art of the Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Domestic Bliss; Cheryl tries to learn how to ride Toni's motorcycle (tries); the Core Four (the better C4 meaning Toni, Cheryl, Sweets, and Jug) use their brain power; Cheryl and Toni find themselves on a bit of a disagreement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AYYY what's up my lovely disciples it's ya girl jesus here to bring you a new testament to this bible!!! sorry that was lame anyway check the final notes for some lame shit

Toni wakes up to arms wrapped tightly around her body. Cheryl is pressed against her, hugging her so close Toni can feel her heartbeat. It brings a smile to her lips, and a warmth to her chest. She peeks open an eye when the alarm for school starts to blare, and almost as soon as she moves to turn it off, Cheryl’s pulling her back into her body with a determined huff. **  
**

Toni tries to reach the alarm again because it’s kind of loud but Cheryl’s grip tightens significantly.

“Babe,” Toni grunts. “You’re crushing me.”

Cheryl doesn’t reply, just snuggles her nose between Toni’s shoulder and ear and Toni sighs.

“Babe,” she tries again. “We have  _school_.”

“ _Nooo_ ,” Cheryl mumbles.

Toni huffs. “You’re being awfully cute for someone who values her morning time.”

“You  _are_ my morning time.”

Toni blushes, a goofy grin spreading across her lips. “That’s really, really cute.”

“Then stay.”

“We can’t.”

“We  _can_ , you’re just being a hater.”

“Oh my God, Cheryl.” Toni laughs and Cheryl’s lips press to her neck. “If I promise to cuddle you for five minutes will you let me shut the alarm off?”

Cheryl hums. “You drive a hard bargain, Topaz. But fine.” She loosens her grip enough for Toni to hit the snooze button before immediately pulling her back into her embrace.

Toni struggles a bit to face her, but when she does, Cheryl’s leg swings over her own and pulls her even closer. Toni’s head presses to Cheryl’s neck, and she chuckles softly.

“You’re awfully cuddly this morning.”

“It’s my first morning with the ability to say that I’m free of my mother, and my first morning living with someone I love. Of course I’m cuddly.” Cheryl answers sleepily.

Toni kisses Cheryl’s collarbone. “You’re so fucking adorable it actually physically pains me.”

“Then suffer.”

“You’re cruel.”

They lay in warmth and silence for exactly five minutes before the alarm goes off again. Cheryl groans dramatically.

“Let’s elope, move to Lesbos, and become shepherds.”

Toni snorts, pulling back to shut the alarm off and sit up against the wall behind their bed. ( _Their_ bed. It’s funny how just that thought makes her whole body light up with happiness.) “You would hate being a shepherd.”

“You don’t know that,” Cheryl defends, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“I do. You’d hate being surrounded by dirty animals, and you’d definitely miss being able to have your nails done.”

Cheryl sighs. “You just  _have_ to destroy my dreams.”

Toni kisses her cheek. “Yup.”

With that, she slips out of bed to get ready and Cheryl quickly follows.

 

* * *

 

“You should teach me to ride your motorcycle,” Cheryl says, casually taking a sip of her coffee.

Toni nearly spits hers out. “I- what? Why?”

Cheryl shrugs, looking down at her mug. “I just want to know how.”

Toni eyes her skeptically. She has a feeling there’s something Cheryl isn’t telling her. And, well, Toni isn’t an idiot. She’s sure it has something to do with the reason Cheryl’s been toying with the patch of Toni’s Serpent jacket all morning. She doesn’t want to pry. But still.

She sighs, setting her now empty mug down. “Cheryl, I-”

“Just teach me? Please?”

And, well, Toni isn’t really able to say no to Cheryl for long. Reluctantly, she nods. “Okay. I’ll show you a little something before we leave this morning. Deal?”

“Deal.” Cheryl’s smile is radiant and Toni just loves her a lot and it’s-

It’s coming. She knows it is.

She just wishes it wouldn’t happen so soon after everything else.

 

* * *

 

It’s a bit hard to see from her position behind Cheryl, but with a bit of adjusting Toni finds a good position to guide Cheryl’s hands along the handlebars of the motorcycle.

“So I pull this to make it go?” Cheryl asks, applying light pressure to the throttle. The motorcycle revs, though it doesn’t move.

“The clutch isn’t on, yet, but yes.” Toni guides her hand to the break, so that she can feel the pressure needed to stop the bike. “These are the brakes. Try pulling the throttle again, slower.”

And, well, Cheryl isn’t used to being up front. So the vibration is unexpected. Her breath hitches.

Toni, noticing the slight change in her girlfriend’s posture, peers over to look up at her. Her cheeks are flushed.

Toni smirks, scooting forward a bit to press Cheryl a bit further against the fuel tank. She uses her hand over Cheryl’s to rev the engine again, a bit longer this time, causing Cheryl to let out a quiet squeak.

“Feel good?” Toni asks, voice smug.

“I can get used to it.” Cheryl’s voice is higher pitched.

“But for now,” Toni revs the engine once more, rolling her hips to push Cheryl’s crotch firmly against the intense vibration of the bike. Cheryl’s fingers slip from under Toni’s to grip at the seat.

“Jesus.” Cheryl pants.

Toni chuckles. “Don’t worry, princess, we all do it at least once. Just relax.”

Toni moves one of her hands to Cheryl’s stomach, holding her steady as her hips apply more pressure to Cheryl’s. The motorcycle rumbles hard against her, making Cheryl’s head roll back onto Toni’s shoulder with a blissful sigh.

“Someone could see,” Cheryl shivers when Toni’s hips roll again.

“Then we’d better make it quick, then, huh?” Toni kisses the exposed skin of Cheryl’s neck, letting the motorcycle rev again as she sets a slow grinding pace for Cheryl. The redhead bites her bottom lip, fingers curling as her breaths become short and labored.

“You know,” Toni purrs, “I think I like the idea of you riding my motorcycle.”

“Is that an innuendo?” Cheryl asks breathily.

Toni doesn’t answer, just lets her fingers slip under Cheryl’s top to scrape lightly at the soft skin of her taut stomach. Cheryl bites back a moan when Toni brings the engine to a steady rumble. The vibration hits Cheryl in just the right way, her hips involuntarily starting to grind against the edge of the seat for more friction.

Toni is placing hot kisses to her shoulder, over her light jacket, and Cheryl’s eyes flutter shut. She’s already embarrassingly close. It’s becoming apparent, judging by the way her hips are moving faster against the motorcycle.

“You close, baby?” Toni asks lowly.

It takes Cheryl three times to manage out, “uh-huh” around the moans that are becoming harder to conceal.

When Toni pulls the throttle harder, Cheryl squeaks and thank  _God_ the death machine is loud because, holy shit, if someone saw them right now Cheryl is sure she’d die of embarrassment.

It takes all of two more twitches of her hips before her body stiffens and a whimper spills from her lips. Toni slows the engine back down and Cheryl slumps against her front, breathing heavily.

“That’s enough lessons for today,” Toni chuckles, kissing Cheryl’s cheek.

Cheryl slips off the bike with a grimace. “I have to change my underwear.”

“Mm, fine.”

“That means come back inside with me.”

Toni looks at her phone. “The offer is greatly appreciated, but we’re also fifteen minutes late for school.” She smirks. “Because  _someone_ couldn’t keep it in her pants.”

“Fuck you.” Cheryl huffs, turning to scurry back into the trailer, leaving Toni to laugh on her own.

 

* * *

 

“So, did a bit of stalking,” Sweet Pea plops down beside them at lunch, forcing Toni to scoot into Cheryl’s lap to accommodate him. Not that either girl is complaining. “And the St. Clairs are, actually, still in town. Though they’re rubbing elbows with the Lodges.”

“The Lodges?” Cheryl scoffs.

“Yeah. Specifically Hiram Lodge. So it looks like Papa St. Clair is kind of a middle party with your mom and Hiram.”

“Mommy and daddy hated the Lodges.” Cheryl frowns. “I thought they only became business partners because mommy needed the money.”

“Or,” Toni hums, “she wants in on Hiram’s  _other_ business.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Cheryl huffs. “She wanted to stay out of the limelight for that.”

“When has your mother ever wanted anything besides drama?”

“Point taken.”

“I’m starting to wonder if there’s  _another_ party involved.” Sweet Pea continues.

“Ghoulies?” Toni suggests.

“Possibly. Hiram has it in with a lot of prisons. Wouldn’t put it past him to have some men on the inside.”

“So why the St. Clairs?” Cheryl muses.

“Possibly,” Jughead buts in, sitting down across from them with his lunch, “the expansion of their little drug empire. Or the rekindling. I mean, if Hiram had a fair share of dirty dealings, and Clifford had a whole drug ring, then it’s not really surprising a rich family like the St. Clairs would be interested. Especially if the two criminal organizations combined.”

“So, what, is Veronica’s family, like, some secret mob?” Toni wonders.

“Maybe.” Jughead shrugs. “I can’t really talk to her on that level.”

“She probably doesn’t even know.” Cheryl murmurs. “Shit. We’re going to have to do some real digging.”

Toni quirks an eyebrow at her girlfriend. “Look at you, getting all serpentine on me.”

Cheryl hums. “I may as well occupy myself  _somehow_.”

Toni wants to say  _‘Okay, but stay out of the danger’_  but she knows it’ll be of no use. Once Cheryl has her mind set on something, it’s going to be done, with or without Toni’s blessing. She’s too damn stubborn for her own good.

Toni sends Sweet Pea a warning glare, only to see that he and Cheryl are sharing a silent conversation. Her stomach sinks.

She really, really hopes this isn’t going the direction she thinks it is.

 

* * *

 

“So you  _burned it down_?” Sweet Pea cackles and Cheryl nods with a grin. “Holy shit. That’s some Carrie White level crazy. I love it!”

Cheryl giggles and Toni rolls her eyes, wrapping a possessive arm around the redhead.

“And don’t forget that she’s  _my_ crazy girlfriend.” Toni huffs.

Sweet Pea laughs harder, and Cheryl leans into Toni’s side. “Don’t worry, T, I couldn’t steal your girl if I tried. She’d kick my ass before you could even lift a finger.”

They’re walking to the parking lot, most of the students bustling around them not paying them any mind.

“We’ll have to ask Veronica about snooping,” Cheryl adds suddenly. “If we’re going to get to the bottom of mommy’s dirty work, it’s better to start sooner rather than later.”

Toni nods in agreement and Sweet Pea shoves his hands into his jacket pockets.

“I’ll see what else I can find around town. Never hurts to ask around.”

“Won’t that raise suspicions?” Cheryl asks.

Sweet Pea shrugs. “Nah, FP’s got some guys of his own that’ll be willing to ‘fess up with a bit of persuasion.”

“Cracking skulls already, Pea?” Toni asks.

“May as well. She’s practically family already.” Sweet Pea sends Cheryl a wink. “And, who knows? Maybe we’ll find some business of our own.”

Toni hums, decidedly ignoring the knowing look her companions share over her head. (She’s only slightly annoyed by her height at the moment.) “One thing’s for sure,” she says, “is that a Blossom, a Lodge, and a St. Clair teaming up  _can’t_ be good.”

The others nod solemnly in agreement.

 

* * *

 

Toni’s been gone for too long. It had taken a  _lot_ to convince Cheryl to let her go along with Sweet Pea without her, and Cheryl really hates it. Hates the separation, but also hates being in the dark. She wants to know what’s happening, but she’s not going to blow Toni’s phone up until it’s been two hours.

It’s been an hour and a half.

She’s got half a mind to do it anyway, but she forces herself to stop pacing and collapses onto the couch.

She wants to be there. She wants to be there with Toni. Not just Toni.  _Everyone_. They’re all helping her and she’s sitting here on the sidelines. It’s not fair. She wants to be out there, threatening gang members and rich business men from New York. Not just sitting at home, doing nothing, waiting for her girlfriend to return.

She huffs impatiently.

It’s when her ringtone starts to blare that she scrambles to her feet again, unplugging her phone from the charger on the wall and bringing it to her ear.

“Hello?”

_“Cheryl!”_ Sweet Pea.  _“So, quick question, don’t be mad, but let’s say, hypothetically, that your girlfriend kinda needs to be driven home because she, uh, got hurt. How mad would you be?”_

Cheryl’s got her jacket on already. “ _Extremely_. What the fuck happened?”

_“Our innocent questioning with some Ghoulies turned a bit sour. Whatever they’re trying to hide is some top-level shit.”_

Cheryl sighs, frustrated, before yanking open the door of her convertible. “I’m on my way. I assume you’re at the Wyrm?”

 

* * *

 

“I should’ve been there.” Cheryl growls, dabbing rubbing alcohol on the cut beneath Toni’s eye.

Brass knuckles.

She’s lucky she didn’t lose any fucking teeth.

Toni flinches. “Sorry. They just… got to me.” (They let a snide comment about Nick’s ‘deal’ and, well, Toni’s composure crumbled pretty quickly.)

“I should have been there.” Cheryl repeats flatly.

“On the bright side, we got some good intel.” Sweet Pea offers. Cheryl looks at him expectantly. “Turns out the Ghoulies are up Hiram’s ass about something. Something  _big._  Funny, considering who else they did business with.”

“So my parents and Veronica’s father, at least, are involved. We know that for sure, now.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m getting her some ice.” Cheryl stands up straight. “Stay.” She orders softly when Toni moves to get up. Toni sinks to the sofa with a sigh as her girlfriend leaves.

“So,” Toni drawls once Cheryl is gone. “You told her about joining, didn’t you?”

Sweet Pea looks away guiltily. “I might’ve mentioned it…”

“Pea-”

“I know!” He cuts her off. “I know. She’s been through a lot. But she’s Serpent, through-and-through, Toni. You know she is.”

Toni sighs. “I don’t want  _this_ happening to her.”

“She’s tough,” Sweet Pea shrugs. “Besides, I doubt you’d let them lay a hand on her.”

“She could get seriously hurt!”

“But she  _needs_ this, Toni.” It comes out serious, and it makes Toni’s shoulders and chest feel heavy. “She needs  _us_.”

“Don’t go behind my back to recruit her.” Toni growls. “If she wants to join, I want her to come to  _me_. Not you. Not Jughead. Not even FP.”

Sweet Pea sighs, defeated, but nods. “Fine. But if she  _does_ come to us…”

“Then I expect you to give me a fucking heads up. It’s common fucking decency! She’s my  _girlfriend_.”

“You didn’t tell Jughead.”

Toni frowns. “That was different.”

“Was it?”

“Yes!”

“Because you know she’s going to do it regardless.”

Toni looks down at her hands, at the bruising knuckles. “Look… she just got out of a really, really shitty situation. I don’t…”

The door opens, and the conversation hangs heavy in the air. Cheryl feels the tension immediately. She looks between Sweet Pea and Toni, wordlessly leaning down to press the ice to Toni’s cheek.

“What were you two hens gossiping about?” She asks quietly, when the odd silence becomes too much to bear.

“I’m gonna let FP know what we found out.” Sweet Pea announces, moving towards the door. He sends Toni a  _look_ over his shoulder, and she blinks slowly to clear her mind.

Once he’s gone, she delicately takes the bag of ice from Cheryl’s hand and uses her other one to grab Cheryl’s. She pulls the redhead onto the couch beside her.

“Cheryl, I-”

“I love you.” Cheryl’s voice is soft, hesitant. Toni meets her gaze steadily, brown pools reflecting her vulnerability. “I see myself spending the rest of my life with you. You know that, right?” Toni nods, her heart thudding hard in her chest. “And I don’t- I don’t  _want_ to wait around for you to come home with bruises and cuts. Those two hours were the longest of my life. I didn’t know where you were, what you were doing, who could possibly be-” Cheryl’s voice cracks, so she takes a slow breath. “I love you. And, for the first time in my life, I can see a forever. A horizon. Do you understand how much that means to me?”

“I love you, too,” Toni murmurs. “You mean everything to me. I’d give anything -  _anything_ \- to be able to protect you from the world.”

“And I’d do the same for you.” Cheryl’s voice hardens. “Toni, I want to be there for you. I want to be a part of your family. I want to be by your side, always, and I want to protect you with everything I have. I want to be there for you, and Jughead, and Sweet Pea, and - well -  _everyone_. Because you’ve all been here for  _me_.”

“Cheryl…” Toni’s throat is tight.

“I want to be a Serpent.”

“We just got you out of that  _house_. This is a  _gang_ , Cheryl. It’s not-  _rainbows and butterflies._  This isn’t the  _Vixens_. This is swearing your life to other people. This is  _family_.”

“I’ve never known a true family.” Cheryl swallows thickly. “But I want to. I want to know  _your_ family. I want to  _be_ your family.”

“You already  _are_.”

“But not the way that I should be. The way that you need me to be.”

“I just need  _you_ , Cheryl.” Toni’s grip on her hand tightens, and Toni hasn’t cried in a long while but she’s damn close to it, now. Cheryl sees the glassiness in her eyes. “What I need is to wake up with the knowledge that you’re  _safe_.”

“I will  _never_ be safe. This is  _Riverdale_. Nobody is  _ever_ safe. If I become a Serpent, then that- that gives us both the security we need. If something happens to you, or to me, then we have others who will be there.”

“Cheryl-”

“Think about it. Please.” Cheryl cups Toni’s cheek gently, eyebrows pulled together in sincerity. “For me?”

Toni closes her eyes, leaning into the touch. “I love you. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Life is full of hurt, Toni. What we do about it is our own choice.”

Toni presses a kiss to Cheryl’s palm. “I’ll think about it. Okay? Just- for now, can we please just… have  _us_ for a little while?”

“Okay.” Cheryl smooths away a stray tear with her thumb, her voice becoming softer again. “Okay. Just us. For now.”

_For now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> firstly, i'd like to say thanks everyone for the AMAZING feedback!!! I'm so glad you guys like this story so much!!!!! It's actually the top choni fic right now, just stuck under some bughead nonsense, but that's so rad how popular it is and im!!!!!!! SHOOK!!!!!1!!  
> second, I have a twitter for live updates of the crap I'm writing or just for choni in general, and when the show starts back up I'll be livetweeting it solely for the Gay Shit so if you're interested in that garbage follow me at @Choni_Jesus  
> third, i want you all to know you're awesome and i love you that's all ok xoxo


	12. Rising Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toni can't keep it in her pants; Cheryl is blossoming into a beautiful young savage queen; Sweet Pea is a Pure Soul; Cheryl gets some unfortunate news

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHATS UP BITCHES  
> hello  
> it me  
> ya boi  
> ya local gay   
> here to feed you some choni  
> enjoy <3

Toni’s teeth pull at Cheryl’s bottom lip, a groan slipping from the redhead when a thigh is pressed between her own. **  
**

“Toni,” Cheryl breathes, Toni kissing down her jaw to her neck. “Toni, we have to get to class.”

“Mmhm,” Toni hums, working a hickey into Cheryl’s neck.

Cheryl sighs, her hips pressing into Toni’s. God. They’re going to be late.

But, apparently Toni couldn’t help herself.

Cheryl had worn her Vixens uniform to school. The Bulldogs were going to the championship at Greendale, and while the boys wore their jerseys, the cheerleaders wore their uniforms; and, of course, Toni just couldn’t let her girlfriend waltz around in a short skirt without leaving some kind of mark. Because Cheryl looks  _hot_ , and, holy shit, Toni has never quite appreciated pleated skirts before.

Her thigh is  _right against her_ , and Cheryl can’t help but grind down on it when Toni bites at her neck, the friction making her breath hitch.

“We’re going- to be- late.” Cheryl hisses between quiet gasps when Toni’s hips push into her.

“Do you want me to stop?” Toni purrs, and Cheryl can fucking  _feel_ her smirk against her skin.

Cheryl swallows thickly, curling her hands into Toni’s leather jacket. “Fuck.  _No_.”

“That’s what I thought.” Toni chuckles, moving her hand between them and slipping it under Cheryl’s skirt.

“Wait- my underwear is going to be ruined.” Cheryl remembers suddenly and Toni snorts, pulling away from her neck.

“I have an easy solution.” She says, getting down onto her knees and lifting one of Cheryl’s legs over her shoulder.

The redhead braces herself on the wall, a whimper spilling from her lips when Toni tugs her panties off and stuffs them into her jacket pocket. Toni’s eyes light up when she looks at how wet Cheryl is, licking her lips eagerly.

“Hurry up,” Cheryl huffs impatiently when Toni kisses her thighs.

“Such a pillow princess.” Toni murmurs.

“I’m not even-” Cheryl’s voice falls into a low moan when Toni surges forward, licking along her entrance slowly.

Toni hums, wrapping her lips around Cheryl’s clit. She doesn’t waste time teasing - they  _are_ going to be late, after all - and hits Cheryl’s sensitive spots over and over with her tongue. Sucking gently at her, flicking her tongue into Cheryl’s entrance, rubbing at the spot that makes Cheryl’s held-back moans go up in pitch.

One of Cheryl’s hands finds Toni’s head, curling into pink locks tightly. “Fuck- right there-”

Toni grips Cheryl’s thighs tightly, digging into her skin so hard that Cheryl wonders if she’ll have bruises the next day. Toni presses her into the wall harder, tongue flicking in and out of Cheryl at a rapid pace.

Cheryl gasps, hips jolting against Toni’s hold. She bites her lip hard, fighting the noises that are building in the back of her throat. Someone could quite literally walk in at any moment and, well, expulsion is  _not_ going to look good on her record.

She feels her climax build up quickly, her body thrumming with heat and desire, and before she knows it her leg tightens around Toni’s shoulder, pulling her closer as her orgasm rushes through her. Toni laps at her, guides her through the aftershocks until Cheryl’s grip loosens and she goes slack against the wall.

Toni lowers her leg back down and stands, offering Cheryl’s panties back with a smirk.

“Don’t be so smug,” Cheryl huffs, snatching them out of her girlfriend’s hands and pulling them back under her skirt. She straightens her uniform with a small smile.

“How can I not be when I just fucked the head cheerleader in an empty classroom?” Toni snorts. “That’s like - a dream come true.”

“And  _now_ we’re going to be late to history.” Cheryl crosses her arms, eyebrow raised. “And I didn’t even get to take care of  _you_.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Toni kisses Cheryl, still smirking. “Besides, you can return the favor tonight when I get home.”

Cheryl frowns. “When you get home?”

Toni sighs, shifting her weight foot to foot, looking down. “Pea and I have business.”

“Business.” Cheryl repeats flatly. “Business… that I’m not allowed to know about.”

Toni grimaces. “Look- it’s not like that, but-”

“Don’t lie to me, TT,” Cheryl rolls her eyes.

“I’m sorry.” Toni meets Cheryl’s eyes. “I don’t know if it’ll lead to anything. At least, not yet.”

“So… that’s it? No details?”

“Just… going to a bar… in Greendale.”

“Toni, you  _literally_ have a bruised face and you’re already going back for more? Are you fucking insane?”

“Sweet Pea said the same thing.” Toni inhales deeply. “I want to be the forefront of this. I  _have_ to be. This is-”

“ _My_ battle, too. It’s  _our_ battle. I’m in this relationship because I love you, and I trust you. You’re doing this for  _me_ , and I have the right to know what you’re doing and where the hell you’re going.”

“Okay, okay.” Toni places her hand on Cheryl’s crossed arms, stroking her skin softly with her thumb. “I’m sorry. We’re going to a place in Greendale called  _La Lune_. It’s some fancy restaurant where the St. Clairs are meeting with some higher ups of the Ghoulies. That’s all we really know.”

“So you’re going to a fancy dinner, with Sweet Pea.”

“Yeah.”

“So… you’re going to be wearing something suitable, I assume?”

Toni shrugs. “I think I have a nice dress somewhere…”

Cheryl rolls her eyes. “You two are going to get caught. Don’t be ridiculous. I’m coming with you.”

“What? Babe, no-”

“I know the owners. Or, my parents did. If I go there, it’ll raise less suspicion. Besides, if it’s just a stakeout, then I won’t be in danger. Correct?”

Toni looks ready to argue, but stops with a relented sigh. “Okay. Fine. But if something happens, I want you to get the hell out of there.”

Cheryl wraps her arms around Toni, pulling her close and pressing a kiss to her lips. “Thank you for being honest.”

“Sorry for trying to keep you away. But- won’t you miss your game?”

Cheryl shrugs. “I’ll put Veronica in charge.”

“Right.” Toni bites her lip, kissing Cheryl again. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Cheryl murmurs.

The bell rings. Cheryl groans.

“Shit. Toni, we fucking skipped class.”

Toni shrugs. “I’d take eating you out in that uniform over learning about World War Three anyday.”

Cheryl rolls her eyes, but grins and takes Toni’s hand in hers. She can do this. She can do this.

 

* * *

 

 

“Absolutely fucking not.” Sweet Pea’s look of disgust makes Toni snort with laughter.

Cheryl rolls her eyes. “JJ was only an inch or so shorter than you, you’ll fit just fine.”

“I don’t want to wear  _that_.” The boy glares at the red suit with pure hatred and Toni laughs even harder.

“Tough shit.” Cheryl snaps. “Put it on or I’ll  _make_ you put it on.”

“That’s k-  _ow_.” Sweet Pea rubs his shoulder when Cheryl punches him. “What the hell, Blossom?”

“Put on the goddamn suit.” Cheryl orders.

They stare each other down. Toni has never laughed so hard in her goddamn life. Nobody - not even his own  _mother_ \- has been able to get Sweet Pea to wear anything fancier than an old button-down and worn slacks. But apparently Cheryl had brought one of Jason’s favorite suits along with her, and apparently his height was similar to Sweet Pea’s.

Cheryl just has a way of being incredibly intimidating. That, or Sweet Pea knows that she will take every threat seriously. Either way, the boy, with one final groan of annoyance, takes the suit from the redhead and stomps into the bathroom to change.

Toni is still cackling, her sides and abs hurting. “Holy shit. I’ve never seen him look so- oh my  _God_ , Cher.”

“Oh, you didn’t get off scottfree either. You’re not wearing that old black dress.” Cheryl deadpans and Toni huffs, offended.

“That’s, like, my best dress. It makes my ass look-”

“I have something better. Follow me.” Cheryl turns on her heels and heads for the bedroom.

Toni follows, still smiling. Cheryl shuffles through the now stuffed closet - all full of her own clothes - until she pulls out a dark blue dress.

“Ah, here we go.” She holds it up to Toni, who watches her with raised eyebrows. Cheryl is so goddamn hot when she takes charge like this. “This was Veronica’s. I’m sure you’ll fit into it.”

“Why do you have Veronica’s dress?”

“We used to be close.” Cheryl shrugs and Toni hums, admiring the dress for a long moment. “Jealousy is a cute look on you,” Cheryl jokes lightly and Toni rolls her eyes.

“Whatever, bitch.” She takes the dress and Cheryl pulls her into a kiss.

“I love you.”

Toni grins. “I love you too.” She pauses. “Bitch.”

Cheryl giggles and kisses her again, her chest pooling with warmth.

“Goddamn, I look stupid.” Sweet Pea’s voice ruins the moment and the girls turn to look at him when he steps into the hallway.

The suit fits him like a glove, albeit a little tightly, but Cheryl figures he may as well leave the jacket unbuttoned, anyway.

“You look handsome,” Cheryl comments and Toni scoffs.

“You look like a dork.”

“Fuck you, Topaz.” Sweet Pea huffs and Toni snickers.

“Hush, children.” Cheryl interrupts her girlfriend before she can pester the boy further. “We have a reservation to make, after all.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Ah, Miss Blossom,” the host grins charmingly, eyeing her up and down, “you’ve grown into a beautiful young woman.”

Toni wraps an arm around Cheryl’s waist possessively and Sweet Pea snorts.

“Thank you, Eric,” Cheryl smiles sweetly. “Did you reserve the table I asked for?”

“Of course. Right this way,” Eric turns and Toni glares at the back of his head.

Cheryl kisses her cheek. “He’s literally my father’s age.”

“And we’re here on  _business_ , ladies.” Sweet Pea reminds. “So, y’know, don’t make me a third wheel.”

Toni rolls her eyes, and the trio sit down at the table offered. From here, Cheryl can see Nick’s father and mother waiting patiently and talking quietly. She can’t quite here what they’re talking about, but she faces away from them so that they don’t recognize her.

Toni observes the area silently, thoughtfully, as Eric drops menus in front of them.

“A server will be with you shortly.” Eric grins at Cheryl again. “Will your mother be joining you tonight?”

“Not tonight,” Cheryl replies in a bored tone. “Thank you, Eric.”

“Anything for you, sweetheart.” With that, Eric leaves the table and Sweet Pea chuckles.

“Damn, Topaz, you need to loosen up.” He jokes and Toni scoffs.

“Whatever. Let’s just focus, okay?”

They look at their menus in silence, and Sweet Pea sets his down with an annoyed huff.

“I can’t fucking afford anything on this menu.”

“I’m paying.” Cheryl looks up from the menu. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Cheryl-” Toni begins but Cheryl cuts her off.

“Don’t argue with me, Antoinette.”

Toni groans. “I thought you promised to never call me that.”

“And I thought I told you to not worry about it. So shush, and figure out what you want to eat.”

Toni sighs, but looks back to her menu.

In the end, she and Sweet Pea settle for cheap steaks and Cheryl decides on the house salad.

“It’s to die for,” she swears.

“Wait, hold up.” Sweet Pea’s voice goes quiet. “Look who just walked in.”

Two men walk in, one of them with a beard and a ratty old suit, and the other with disheveled hair in a slightly less worn out suit. They sit down at the St. Clair table, and Cheryl frowns when she notices two empty chairs.

“Are they expecting more company?” She wonders.

“Wouldn’t be surprised,” Sweet Pea hums.

“But who else could be-”

“Cheryl, look down at the table, cover your face.” Toni’s voice is low, grave, and Cheryl immediately does as she’s told, peeking around her hands to see Penelope Blossom and Hiram Lodge waltzing into the restaurant.

“Fuck.” Sweet Pea mutters. “We need to scram.”

“What? No. We’re definitely staying.” Toni argues.

“T, they  _know_ our faces.”

“Yes, but as of right now, it doesn’t look like they’ve noticed us.”

“Hiram Lodge, two strange men, the St. Clairs, and my  _mother_ are all dining together.” Cheryl whispers. “This is definitely something important.”

“Hey, doesn’t that guy with the beard look familiar, T?” Sweet Pea asks.

“He’s a Ghoulie. We’ve seen him before-” Toni is interrupted by a young man stepping up to their table.

“I can take your orders, folks,” he says.

Cheryl sits back up, smiling politely as she places her order. She watches the table like a damn hawk when Penelope and Hiram sit down with matching fake grins. Her stomach is churning unpleasantly as she tries desperately to hear them over the others in the restaurant.

When the waiter leaves, it’s a bit easier to hear them.

_“Now, now, Hiram, no need to be so formal. We’re business partners now, after all.”_

_“... daughter… taken care of…”_

_“...house? … living now?”_

“I can’t hear them.” Cheryl hisses.

“I have an idea,” Sweet Pea stands up. “Be right back. Hold my jacket.” He shrugs off the jacket and shoves it into Toni’s hands.

Cheryl and Toni exchange uneasy looks as he makes his way towards the back, where the restrooms are, and as soon as he’s passes the table with their ‘targets’, he slams into a waitress, scattering food everywhere.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” He exclaims, bending down and helping her pick up the scattered items.

Cheryl quirks an eyebrow at Toni, who watches the boy with a smirk. After a long silent wait, Sweet Pea returns with his white button up patted dry.

“Not good news,” he says quietly. “They’re talking about Cheryl. Something about a will? I’m not really sure, but it sounds like they’re trying to do something to get Cheryl out of getting some big leftover cash from her dad.”

“Will? Daddy didn’t have a will, unless…” Cheryl frowns, and Toni smiles adoringly as she watches her girlfriend think. 

Cheryl is probably the smartest person she knows - besides Jughead, probably. She’s good at puzzles. Toni knows that from the jigsaws Cheryl brought with her. Therapeutic, she’d said. Toni didn’t have the heart to call Cheryl a nerd for owning several comic book puzzles. 

Realization dawns on the redhead’s face. “Unless… he kept it hidden from us? Until they stopped investigating the drug dealings? Which… is why mommy is with the Ghoulies, the St. Clairs,  _and_ doing business with the  _Lodges_ , of all people.” Her jaw clenches. “Of course.”

“But what does that have to do with  _you_?” Toni presses. “I mean- you’re getting money, right? So what’s the big deal? She’s getting a whole drug empire.”

“I’m not an expert, but,” Cheryl takes a slow, deep breath. “I think… if she disowns me, or emancipates me, then… I won’t get any of the money.”

“We don’t know what the will says.” Sweet Pea gives the redhead an assuring smile. “You never know, Red. Maybe there’s a way. I mean, where there’s a will there’s a way? I tried.”

Cheryl laughs, and Toni relaxes, reaching across the table to take Cheryl’s hand. Her relief is evident when Cheryl doesn’t pull away like she’d sort of expected, but instead turns her hand over and entwines their fingers.

“We’ll figure this out, baby love,” Toni murmurs, and Cheryl’s smile is warm and affectionate.

“I know we will."

* * *

 

Cheryl gently strokes Toni’s still swollen cheek with a fond grin. Toni loves that grin. It reaches her eyes. Makes them sparkle.

“When do you think you’ll be told about the will?” Toni asks quietly, not wanting to break the blanket of warmth that’s settled around them.

Outside, the low rumble of a passing bike fades into the distance. Their room is dark, but the light streaming in from the hall makes it easy to see Cheryl. The redhead is thinking, hard, her smile dimming just a bit.

(Toni has learned by now to always have a light on in the trailer. Cheryl hates the dark, though she hates to admit it.)

(Toni hates that she lives in fear.)

“I don’t know,” Cheryl answers honestly, hand pausing at the nape of Toni’s neck. “But whatever happens, I want you to be there. Is that okay?”

“Of course it is, baby,” Toni pulls her a bit closer with the hand on Cheryl’s waist. Cheryl snuggles into her, burying her face in Toni’s chest with a sigh.

“I wish I could burn down Thistle House.”

“Cheryl, I love you, and I think your occasional pyromaniacs are sexy as hell, but no.”

Cheryl snorts. “You’re right. I love Nana Rose too much for that.”

“Cheryl Blossom is a soft bitch,” Toni teases and the redhead bites her shoulder.

“Bitch.” Cheryl huffs and Toni laughs.

Cheryl gently pushes Toni onto her back, straddling her and kissing at her collarbone. “I love you,” she murmurs and Toni’s heart leaps.

“I love you, too,” the pink-haired girl replies softly, feeling Cheryl’s hands slip under her shirt.

Cheryl pulls the article off, her kisses moving to Toni’s breasts. Toni’s hands tangle into long, red locks, a sigh slipping from her lips.

“And, for the record,” Cheryl looks up from Toni’s stomach, “I’m  _not_ a pillow princess.”

She kisses Toni’s abs as the Serpent shakes with laughter. She traces over the Serpent on Toni’s ribs, feeling something stirring inside her.

One day, she’s going to have the same mark. It will no longer just be that part of Toni that she admires. It will be part of her, too.

(And she knows Toni doesn’t want that for her. But, God, Cheryl will be damned if she lets her girlfriend go off on dangerous jobs without her.)

Her kisses become tender when she pulls Toni’s shorts and panties off of her, lingering at the soft skin of Toni’s thighs. Toni’s thighs are always so sensitive, she muses. They twitch when she sucks dark marks into them, clench and unclench in anticipation when her lips inch closer and closer to where she needs her.

Toni’s breathing comes in quiet pants, fingers clenching in Cheryl’s hair.

“Stop being a tease,” she hisses and Cheryl laughs softly, her breath ghosting over Toni’s core.

“Mm, someone shouldn’t have called me a pillow princess then, huh?”

“I take it back, oh my God.” Toni huffs. “Please, Cher.”

“I love it when you beg,” Cheryl purrs and Toni lets out a strangled moan when Cheryl takes her clit into her mouth and sucks gently.

Cheryl loves the sounds Toni makes. Little mewls and whimpers, so different to how, admittedly, loud Cheryl can be. She has to work to earn quieter sounds, and Cheryl has always loved a good challenge.

She flicks her tongue over Toni’s clit - just the way she knows Toni LOVES - and earns a loud curse from her girlfriend.

She drags her nails over Toni’s thighs, guiding them over her shoulders as she slips her tongue inside Toni. The shorter girl gasps, hips jolting against Cheryl’s mouth.

“Fuck- right there-” she whimpers and Cheryl hums against her.

She returns her attention to Toni’s clit, her fingers moving to Toni’s throbbing entrance. She pushes two in easily, curling until they find the spot that makes Toni cry out in pleasure. She feels thighs clench around her head as she begins a brutally quick pace.

Toni’s moans quickly become frequent and loud, short nails digging into Cheryl’s scalp as the redhead thrusts into her.

Walls pulse around her fingers, and it’s not long before Toni cries out Cheryl’s name and her hips buck against the Vixen.

Cheryl removes her fingers and grips Toni’s hips tightly, using her tongue to plunge into Toni once more. Toni shakes through another orgasm, back arching high off the bed. Cheryl slows down, licking her clean before sliding back up Toni’s body to kiss the shorter girl passionately.

“I love you,” Cheryl whispers when she pulls away, looking down at Toni.

“I love you, too,” Toni grins, heart melting just a bit more for Cheryl Blossom.

(She would give anything to spend forever like this.)

 

* * *

 

 

The letter comes the following morning.

It’s white with Cheryl’s name in red cursive that she recognizes as her mother’s handwriting. She grimaces when she picks it up from the porch step, and carries it inside. She opens it slowly, her heart sort of pounding in her ears.

Toni, noticing her girlfriend’s nervousness immediately, moves from the coffee pot to stand at her side, wrapping her arm around Cheryl’s waist.

“What is it?” She asks gently.

“A letter from She Who Must Not Be Named,” Cheryl grumbles, taking out the small paper inside and unfolding it. “ _’Dearly beloved family, we ask for your presence this Saturday at Thorn Hill, where there will be a private Will Reading ceremony on behalf of Clifford Blossom. We look forward to seeing you all once more, despite the circumstances-’_  I mean, who does she think she’s fooling?” Cheryl scoffs. “This is so goddamn fake.”

“I wonder if writing this gave her an aneurysm,” Toni hums. “We’re still going, right?”

“Of course,” Cheryl scoffs, setting the letter aside and picking up the envelope once more. Another paper falls out, and Toni picks it up with a frown.

Cheryl tosses the envelope away as Toni reads the paper. Toni’s body tenses, eyes wide.

“Babe, take a look at this.”

Cheryl takes the paper.

_Cheryl,_

_We saw you at La Lune. We are not fools._

_Keep your eyes peeled, girl. My patience is wearing thin. The business you have found yourself in is absolutely unacceptable and I will not stand by and let you embarrass this family._

_You have been warned._

_-Mother_

“What does that mean?” Toni wonders. “What business?”

Cheryl chuckles bitterly. “The Serpents. She’s coming for the Serpents.”

And Cheryl is going to be damned if she fucking lets her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love you <3  
> thank you for reading <3  
> kudos & comments are great <3


	13. One Day More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cheryl makes an important decision. Toni is reluctant to accept it, but is ultimately a supportive girlfriend. Cheryl gets some...... unsavory news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wuss poppin jimbos it's me im back with a meaty chapter

Cheryl waltzes into Whyte Wyrm with her head high, shoulders squared. She looks beyond out of place, with her designer clothes and handbag. But most are used to seeing her, though some still stare. **  
**

Toni came back last night with a sprained wrist and bloodied knuckles. Cheryl has had enough of this waiting around. Especially since Toni left  _again_ tonight, with little to nothing to offer Cheryl in terms of information on the matter. Cheryl trusts her. She does. And Cheryl  understands that Toni is trying to keep her safe. But, fucking Christ, Cheryl can’t do this anymore.

She strides right up to FP, who is talking to some tattooed man by the bar. “FP Jones,” she greets cooly.

He cocks an eyebrow at her, then nods at the man. “We’ll talk later.” He turns back to Cheryl. “What’s going on?”

“I want to be a Serpent.”

His eyes widen. “I- does Toni know about this?”

“She knows that I’ve been considering joining, yes,” Cheryl looks away, guilt gnawing at her chest.

“So you want me to go behind her back.” FP sighs. “Cheryl, I know Toni. I practically  _raised_ her. Do you really think I could do that to her? Do you even know what you’re asking?”

Cheryl meets his gaze with a steely expression. “I know what I’m doing. Toni knows that this -  _this_ \- is inevitable. But I can’t sit by like a helpless idiot while my  _girlfriend_  is out grilling dangerous criminals for my own sake.”

“Do you  _really_ understand what you’re doing?” He faces her entirely, jaw set. “I understand what you went through - I  _do_. But the Serpents are everything to Toni. We’re a  _family_.”

“I’ve never known family, that’s true,” Cheryl shakes her head slowly. “But I’ll be damned if I let all of you risk your lives for mine without some kind of repayment.”

FP studies her for a long, silent moment. Cheryl doesn’t back down. She keeps her posture tall, stiff, as if she’s ready to attack or bolt or both at any second. Finally, he sighs.

“When Pea told me you were Serpent material, I damn near broke a bottle over his goddamn head.” He chuckles. “But, hell, you’re definitely a Serpent if there ever was one. Talk to Birdie over there, she’ll tell you what to do.” He turns to walk away.

Cheryl nods, smiling. “Thank you. I won’t let you down.”

“Oh, and Cheryl?” He pauses, looking at her from over his shoulder. “I’d tell Toni sooner rather than later. Lord knows that girl worries about you.”

Cheryl nods silently, and watches the man exit the bar before looking back to Birdie. She can do this. She can do this.

 

* * *

 

When she gets home -  _home_ , it makes her body thrum with happiness every damn time - she opens the door to find Sweet Pea and Toni frantically searching the trailer. When she enters, they both freeze and Toni’s face floods with relief.

Toni’s… even more bruised up face.

Toni engulfs Cheryl in her arms at once, holding her tight.

Cheryl relaxes into her, hugging her close. “Not that I’m complaining, but what the hell?”

“I thought- you were gone and- holy shit, Cheryl.” Toni pulls back and looks at her with so much concern that Cheryl’s heart sort of aches.

“Sorry to worry you, baby,” Cheryl frowns, pressing a kiss to Toni’s forehead. “But, what happened?”

Sweet Pea approaches, looking grim. “We found something out. Something big.” His eye is swollen shut, his nose bloodied.

“Jesus Christ,” Cheryl releases Toni and closes the door behind her. She hurries into the bathroom, fishing out the first aid kit and returning to the pair. “Sit down.”

They both comply, exchanging worried glances. Cheryl quickly works on fixing up Sweet Pea first, since his wounds are worse. He flinches when she cleans a cut under his chin.

“What the hell happened?” She asks after a long, silent moment.

“We were jumped.” Toni answers. “But not by Ghoulies.”

“Who, then?”

“They didn’t exactly gives us their names,” Sweet Pea mutters.

Cheryl rolls her eyes. “What did they  _look_ like?”

“They worked for your mother.” Toni hisses. “Or- at least, someone who wants to keep us out of her hair.”

“One of the guys said,  _‘stay out of Blossom business, or it’s the Blossom bitch who’s getting a visit next.’_ ” Sweet Pea scoffs.

Cheryl’s stomach sinks, anxiety gnawing at her chest. She moves over to Toni, pressing an ice pack to her even more swollen cheek. “Toni, we have to do something.”

“We’re trying, baby,” Toni sighs, exasperated.

“No, I mean - WE have to do something.” Cheryl’s jaw sets, and suddenly Sweet Pea feels the air shift. “No more waiting. No more sitting around.”

“Cheryl-”

“I want to join.”

“I’m just gonna…” Sweet Pea stands up. “I’ll be, uh, at the Wyrm.”

Cheryl ignores him as he leaves, eyes never leaving Toni’s.

“Cheryl…” Toni begins, but Cheryl shakes her head.

“No more arguing. If I don’t do this, you’re going to get yourself  _seriously_ hurt. I can’t let myself stand off on the sidelines while you risk your damn LIFE for me, Toni.”

Toni looks away, biting her bottom lip despite the swelling. “Cheryl…”

“I  _know_ you’re scared. But  _I’m_ scared, too. How do you think it feels to sit around, alone, waiting for my girlfriend to come home battered and bruised?” Cheryl demands. “It’s  _terrifying_ , TT. I don’t know if- if you’ll ever come back, what state you’ll be in, if Sweet Pea will have to call me from a damn  _hospital_ because you’ve been  _shot_ -”

“Hey, hey,” Toni turns back to Cheryl, cupping her cheeks gently. “I’m not going anywhere. Okay? I’m not going to put you through that.”

“You don’t know that. I don’t know that.  _We_ don’t know that. I can’t let you be out there without me. I can’t, Toni.” Cheryl’s eyes are glassy with tears and Toni’s chest clenches.

“I’m sorry.” Toni presses a soft kiss to Cheryl’s lips. “I’m sorry, I know you’re scared. It’s- we can talk to FP, okay?”

“Taken care of.” Cheryl murmurs.

Toni frowns. “You- you went to him without telling me?”

“I was going to join with or without your blessing.”

“Cheryl-”

“You couldn’t keep me away forever, Toni.” Cheryl sighs. “I wanted to tell you tonight, anyway.”

“You should have asked me.”

“And have you say no with those puppy dog eyes?” Cheryl scoffs. “Absolutely not.”

Toni closes her eyes with a slow breath. “Okay, okay. Can we just, sit here for a little while? I just- I need to hold you for a bit.”

“Of course,” Cheryl’s gaze softens and she hurries to put the first aid kit away before slipping back onto the couch.

Toni wraps her arms around the redhead, pulls her close until Cheryl is half-laying on top of her. She closes her eyes, letting herself get lost in the feeling of Cheryl in her arms. She’s safe here. She’s away from the world, in Toni’s arms. Toni’s heart fills with warmth.

She just wishes she could hold Cheryl like this for forever.

 

* * *

 

Cheryl is holding Toni’s hand when they enter Thistle House. Penelope is, unsurprisingly, scowling at them, as they take their seats. Cheryl can practically  _feel_ her mother’s glare from the other side of the room. She sets her jaw, stares straight ahead at the man standing at a podium in front of them.

When the will reading begins, Cheryl tries to keep her gaze on the man reading. It wanders, however, to her girlfriend beside her. Toni looks back at her, eyes softening when they meet Cheryl’s. She smiles, and Cheryl returns it. God, whatever happens, she’s just glad she has Toni.

“... to my wife and partner, Penelope, I leave our greatest treasure, Thornhill, the exquizit mansion she made a home.”

Cheryl snorts. Toni smirks. Penelope’s frown deepens.

“Now, the reason I contacted you, and the reason you all travelled to be here.” The man glances around the room before looking back down at the paper. “Any and all remaining assets of my fortune will be divided in half. The first half will be distributed equally to anyone in Riverdale who can prove with medical authentication that even one drop of Blossom blood flows through their veins.”

Alice Cooper barges in, causing a scene immediately. Toni clearly finds it amusing, but Cheryl honestly just wants this all to speed up so she can fucking leave the overbearing presence of her mother. After an eternity, Alice is taken away and Cheryl relaxes ever so slightly.

“Now that the, uh, interloper has been escorted from the premises, we can finish our business. As I was saying-” Cheryl clutches Toni’s hand tighter. “The other half of my fortune will go to my true heirs, Jason and Cheryl.”

Cheryl stands, feeling overwhelmingly cocky. She meets Toni’s proud gaze, and then looks at her mother with a smirk. She approaches the podium, shoos the man away, and takes a deep breath.

“As the one true Blossom heir, I feel it is my sacred duty to say a few words. The Blossoms have been bathing in blood since Great Grandpappy Blossom killed his brother, the original Son of Riverdale. Well I stand here before you to say, no more. No more blood. No more madness. No more horror.” She’s interrupted by someone saying “Here! Here!”

She looks towards the source of the voice, and feels the world fall from beneath her feet. Oh God. Her father.

The world goes black.

 

* * *

 

Toni rushes to Cheryl as soon as the redhead collapses. Her heart pounds in her chest, terror gripping her heart.

Penelope scoffs. “Always so dramatic…”

Toni glares at her, pulling Cheryl’s limp body close.

“There’s a sofa in the next room,” the man who read the will murmurs and Toni nods.

She picks Cheryl up, ignoring the curious and sort of overwhelming glares of the people who came to the reading, and carries her out of the room.

She lays Cheryl down on a small sofa, sitting down so Cheryl’s head rests in her lap. She combs her fingers through red hair, hoping to coax her girlfriend out of her fainting spell. She’s not sure how much time passes, but soon Penelope joins her and she immediately feels on edge.

The older woman offers a small bottle. “Put this under her nose. She’ll wake right up.”

Toni takes it cautiously, opening it and doing as Penelope instructed. Cheryl’s eyes snap open and she grimaces. When she takes in her surroundings, she clutches Toni’s arm.

“God- Toni- I had the worst daymare. My father was back and-” she stops when the man enters the room with Nana Rose. Cheryl gasps and Toni wraps a protective arm around her.

Penelope, who had been watching from the doorway, scoffs. “Relax, it’s not what you think….”

 

* * *

 

The dinner is awkward.

No- it’s… it’s more than awkward.

Cheryl and Toni are on edge, looking at each other, and then around the table, with wary expressions. Her ‘Uncle Claudius’ - or, so he claims to be - insisted that the two stayed for dinner. Nana Rose seemed eager to agree, though Penelope was very reluctant. Toni would have killed to get out of there, but Cheryl felt that it was necessary. If not to keep up appearances, at least.

“So, Mr. Blossom,” Toni drawls. “What did you do before coming back to Riverdale?”

“Ignore that person, Claudius,” Penelope scoffs. “She’s the scum I was telling you about earlier.”

“Really, mother?” Cheryl hisses. “At the dinner table?”

“It’s quite alright, Cheryl. Well, young lady, I sailed the high seas,” Claudius smiles fondly. “I’ve been around the world, you know. Say, I even visited this lovely Island. It was  _beautiful_.” Toni raises an eyebrow curiously. “Lesbos.”

Cheryl and Toni collectively choke on their drinks and Penelope rolls her eyes.

“Is it really necessary to bring that up at the table?” She mutters.

“Oh, but it was necessary to insult my  _girlfriend_?” Cheryl quips.

Penelope laughs sarcastically. “Oh, you mean the gangster you’ve been trolloping along with? And here I thought you were a mere body to warm her sheets-”

“I’m in love with your daughter,” Toni interrupts, voice cold. “And if you have a problem with that, that’s your business alone. We aren’t the ones making dirty side deals with-”

“Watch your tone while you’re in my house, you foolish pest. Cheryl is still underage and I can bring the authorities into this. My daughter, kidnapped by a Southside Serpent.”

“I  _left_ because  _you_ kicked me out.” Cheryl growls.

“And who will the authorities believe?” Penelope scoffs.

“When we tell them about your deals with the Ghoulies, I’m sure they’ll be more than willing to-”

“Okay, ladies,” Claudius claps his hands, and the three snap their heads in his direction. “Sorry to have caused this argument. Let’s just enjoy a nice dinner, yeah?”

Cheryl grinds her teeth, looking down at her plate angrily. Toni moves her hand under the table to gently squeeze Chery’s knee. The redhead relaxes slightly, unclenches her jaw.

The rest of the dinner is spent in silence.

 

* * *

 

“So, you’re saying… you have…  _half_ of your father’s incredible fortune?” Sweet Pea asks, eyes wide.

Cheryl grins, stabbing a piece of her fruit salad with her fork. “I do.” She pops the melon into her mouth.

“But… she’s underage, so she can’t get to it. Yet. Which is… concerning.” Toni mutters. “I mean, we went to his lawyer, and to the bank, and both say that Penelope cannot touch it, despite being Cheryl’s legal guardian, since Cheryl is already seventeen.”

“Which is good,” Cheryl confirms, swallowing the bite of fruit. “How _ever_ , we have more pressing matters to discuss. Such as tonight.”

Toni stiffens. “You mean the Serpents Dance?”

“Yes,” Cheryl hums. “What happens after?”

“You get to take care of the Beast.” Jughead smirks.

“The what?”

“Hot Dog.” Sweet Pea explains with a huge smile. “He’s the third generation, just like Juggy.”

“What is he?”

“He’s a dog,” Toni rolls her eyes. “They’re being idiots.”

“I have to take care of a  _dog_?” Cheryl gasps.

“Every initiate has to do it. Don’t worry, it’s not that hard, babe.”

Cheryl bites her lip. “Right. Okay. That’s- okay.”

“What’s the matter?” Toni frowns.

“I’ve, um, I never- had a dog so…”

“And you’re not allowed to help her, Toni,” Fangs reminds and Toni snorts.

“It’s not hard. He’s a  _dog_.”

Cheryl shrugs, blushing. “Well, I look forward to, um, meeting him.”

A dog. She has to take care of a dog. A literal gang has a dog they collectively take care of. That’s kind of endearing, at least.

She can do this.

 

* * *

 

Cheryl is not a stranger to the art of seduction. Dancing is easy, and it’s not like she’s literally putting on a strip show. But she’s still a bit nervous, though she doesn’t dare show it. No fear. She cannot show them fear.

She keeps her eyes on Toni the whole time, body moving slow. She feels all eyes on her. She’s hot, she knows, and she’s sure they can’t tear their gazes away. But the way Toni is looking at her? Well, it’s easy to tune out the rest of the bar.

They hardly make it through the front door of the trailer when Toni has her against the door, mouth covering her own. A tongue pushes past her lips, and Cheryl groans.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Toni pulls away, breathing heavily as she trails eager kisses down Cheryl’s neck and her hands tug at Cheryl’s shirt. “How are you even fucking real?”

Cheryl laughs softly, and lets Toni toss the shirt aside. “I could ask you the same thing.”

“Bedroom.” Toni growls and Cheryl nods eagerly.

Her clothes are shed quickly, though Toni is too focused on the redhead to at least remove more than her own shirt, and while Cheryl would normally complain, she finds this almost possessive state incredibly hot.

Toni pushes her onto the bed, sucking what’s sure to be a wicked hickey onto her neck. Cheryl moans and Toni bites down.

“Sit on my face,” Toni purrs and - God, Cheryl nearly chokes.

“I- what?””

“Sit. On. My. Face.” Toni repeats slowly and Cheryl’s breath leaves her damn body.

Toni guides them both further up the bed, flipping them over so she’s on her back and Cheryl is straddling her. Cheryl moves up Toni’s body, Toni’s eyes dark and lidded looking up at her.

When her panties are discarded, Toni licks her lips and wraps her arms around Cheryl’s thighs as they’re placed on either side of her head.

“If you need air, just-  _oh_ -” Cheryl’s sentence is interrupted by her girlfriend abruptly pulling her down and running her tongue over her folds.

Cheryl’s body lurches forward, her hands bracing her against the wall as Toni’s tongue dips eagerly inside of her. God, fuck. Cheryl’s hips twitch, and Toni hums. Oh, God.

“Jesus- fuck-” Cheryl whimpers when Toni sucks at her clit. “Oh my- oh my G-” Cheryl moans, eyes shutting as hot waves of pleasure course through her body.

When she grinds down against Toni’s tongue a bit too hard, she attempts to pull back but Toni yanks her back into place, flicking against her clit and curling inside of her. Toni laps at her loudly, like she’s having the best fucking meal of her life, and, fucking Christ, it’s that more than anything else that has Cheryl’s moans at nearly dangerous levels of loud.

She feels her thighs shaking, and Toni’s hands grip at her harder. Cheryl’s eyes snap open and she looks down between her legs.

“Oh- oh baby right- oh  _fuck_ -” she sputters, meeting Toni’s heated gaze.

Oh fuck-

Seeing Toni under her like this. Fucking shit.

Toni’s tongue presses into her, flicks at her spot, and Cheryl’s one hand moves to clutch at pink hair. Toni lets out a quiet noise that Cheryl  _feels_ more than hears, and suddenly her orgasm ripples through her.

She cums hard and loud, her cries of ecstasy so damn loud she really, really hopes nobody calls the cops. When Toni manages to slip her fingers inside, her tongue still working at Cheryl’s clit, the redhead cums again. And again.

And-

“Oh fuck- Ton- babe- I can’t-” Cheryl stammers, voice several octaves higher than normal and finally, finally her girlfriend shows mercy and slows down to let her ride out her orgasms.

Cheryl climbs off of Toni, collapsing beside her with heavy breaths. Toni kisses her, and - yeah, Cheryl can taste herself on Toni’s slimy lips. Ew.

“Jesus Christ,” Cheryl pants when Toni pulls back.

The pink-haired girl laughs softly. “Sorry. Couldn’t help it.”

Cheryl snorts, catching her breath. “I’m not complaining.”

“I love you,” Toni hums. “A lot.”

“And I love you,” Cheryl smiles, turning onto her side to face Toni.

“You’re going to be a Serpent,” Toni murmurs, also turning over.

Cheryl sees the worry in her eyes. She reaches out, stroking Toni’s cheek gently. “I want to be there for you, you know? You’re doing so much for me, I just want… I want to be there for you, too.”

Toni’s gaze softens. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Serpents don’t stand alone,” Cheryl reminds her. “And no matter what happens to either of us, we will be okay.”

Toni kisses her again, slowly. Like she’s savoring the feeling of the redhead’s lips on hers. (She is.) “I’m so fucking in love with you, Cheryl Blossom.”

Cheryl’s smile widens. “And I’m so fucking in love with you, Antoinette Topaz.”

Toni cringes. “Ugh. Don’t use my full name.”

Cheryl giggles. “You’re too cute.”

“I’m-” Toni’s eyes widen, like she’s offended. “Babe, I’m  _not_ cute.”

“You’re right, you’re adorable.”

“I literally just made you cum three times, what the f-”

“And I can make you cum four.” Cheryl winks and Toni’s eyes narrow.

“Feeling a bit confident, are we?”

“Up for a challenge, then,  _Antoinette_?”

Toni smirks. “Always,  _Blossom_.”

(They wish this could last forever. These intimate moments. The ones where the world around them fades into nonexistence.)

(But a storm is on the horizon. They can feel it in their bones.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for your patience!!!!!! i love you guys so much!!! sorry this took so long!!!!!!!!!!

**Author's Note:**

> wanna read more of my stuff/see this fic on tumblr?  
> check out my new blog:  
> pinkbunny-imagines.tumblr.com


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